The Court Maiden's Prince

This story, characters, events, customs, and places are purely fictional and in no way accurately represent the history and customs of any country past or present.
It was the twelfth day of the month of the dog, King Seo-Jung along with the Queen and Prince Man-Ju, was at the proclamation of Prince Young-Sik as the newly crowned prince. All of the ministers were in attendance amongst them were Minister Gi and Minister Lim Do-Yun, though showing a calm exterior, it was undeniable in his eyes the fury that he felt. He wanted the lineage of the current King to end, yet one more remains and he is about to be proclaimed the crowned prince.
The Queen again tried to downplay Young-Sik's attitude and capabilities and questioned if he was fit to be the newly crowned prince "Your Highness...are we sure that an eight-year-old will be the best fit for this monstrous task? We should take it easy on him, after all the trauma he underwent"
"He is well enough to take on the responsibilities of the crowned prince. I believe he will overcome the trauma in his heart and mind" The King replied with the utmost confidence in Young-Shik
Standing behind the King and Queen, Man-Ju heard everything his father said. He could not deny that tiny pinch in his heart because their father favored the youngest over him.
"Your Highness and your Majesty, ...The crowned prince has arrived" A eunuch said, announcing the entrance of Young-Sik.
The newly crowned prince entered the great hall. He wore blue robes with a dragon crest on the front, back, and shoulders. He made his way through the center walkway to the front. The prince bowed to the King and Queen, as a sign of respect.
The King, in a proud voice, said, "I, King Kim Seo-Jung, at this moment elevate Kim Young-Sik to Crowned..." but before he could finish his proclamation, the young prince interrupted him.
"Your Highness...I would like to use the wish that you promised me" Young-Sik said in a stern voice
"Can it not wait, my son?" The King asked impatiently, to which Young-Sik only shook his head.
King Seo-Jung looked at Queen Eri with confusion. "Let the little prince speak Your Highness, we only need to wait a few moments," she said "I will delay his proclamation no matter what," she thought to herself.
"Very well," The King said as he laid back on his throne "Speak my son, let me know what you want to wish"
Young-Sik dropped to his knees and bowed with his forehead touching the ground. "Your Highness! I wish to abdicate my claim to the throne, I wish for Prince Man-Ju, to be elevated to crowned Prince!" This act startled everyone present, especially the King.
Queen Lee, upon hearing what Young-Sik said immediately capitalizes at the opportunity "Your Highness, as per our law, we must respect the wish of those who want to give away their claim to the throne"
Minister Gi quickly backed the edict that the queen mentioned "Your Highness, the Queen is right. We can't force the burden of leadership on anyone who fears to carry the responsibility"
The prince rose and faced Minister Gi "I do not fear the responsibility, Minister Lim, I merely think that my brother is the future King that we will all need"
Minister Gi, scoffed discreetly at the little boy "And what will our prince do after abdicating?"
"Stay your tongue, minister...you are talking to a prince!" Young-Sik said angrily. Minister Lim, who was listening, was both shocked and impressed that a grown man was silenced by a mere boy.
The King smirked and smiled at Young-Sik's handling of himself. "Tell me...why don't you want to be King, let alone crowned prince?"
"Because Your Highness, I will be more effective and useful, serving our nation and King as a soldier, a physician, and a scholar," Young-Sik explained. Though his words were carried by the voice of a boy, they showed the determination of a person well beyond his age.
The Queen was surprised at what the prince revealed as his ambition "Which one would you want? You can't be all of them." She gently asked the boy, wanting him to clarify what his ambitions were.
Young-Sik smiled at the Queen before he spoke "Your Majesty, just because something was not done before, does not mean it cannot be done"
The Ministers from the left all laughed at what they thought was the naivete of the prince. One of them went as far as saying "The Queen is right my prince; it cannot be done"
"When the then peasant, King Cho Sun, first said that he would establish the Kingdom of Chiongsun all those centuries ago, everyone laughed as well. But as you can see, A thousand years later here we are, living in a nation that a peasant established" Young-Sik reminded the left-wing ministers, silencing their rude tongues.
"Is this what you want my son? I am giving you this one chance to take back what you said" Warned the King "Even I cannot undo this wish of yours once granted" he added.
Young-Sik smiled as he nodded while saying "Yes Your Highness...that is what I wish for"
With a heavy heart, The King wrote Man-Ju's name on the proclamation and stamped it with the royal seal, much to the glee of Queen Lee and the surprise of Man-Ju.
"Your Highness," Man-Ju said catching the attention of his father "Let us grant Prince Young-Sik another wish, in exchange for what he has given up"
With an agreeing smile to Man-Ju, the King addresses and asks Young-Sik "Tell me son which one would you like to be. A great warrior, A compassionate physician, or an intelligent scholar?"
"All of them Your Highness," Young-Sik said again, but this time no one laughed at the prince except for one, Minister Lim
Do-Yun thought to himself "Stupid boy, that ordeal left you lacking in the head. I will help you get your wish so that I can laugh at you" he stepped up to the center walkway and said "Your Highness! Let us grant this wish of the prince, his sincerity in serving our country has touched our hearts and we wish him to succeed in this undertaking that he trusted upon himself"
Seo-Jung gave a deep sigh of sadness but of pride as well "Very well...if that is your wish, my son. We will reconvene in two weeks for Prince Man-Ju's ascension to crowned prince," The King said to Man-Ju who quickly rose and transferred to the right-hand side of his father. "Prince Young-Sik take the crowned prince's former seat" Young-Sik bowed and sat in the place Man-Ju vacated.
The great hall then erupted in cheers, wishing prosperity and long life to the royal family. Man-Ju turned towards Young-Sik and leaned toward him "You are indeed a stupid boy!" he said to his brother "But...I want to thank you for trusting me"
"I know, you will be the best King our nation will ever have, I have faith in you brother," Young-Sik said to his brother
As the ministers gathered and cheered on, Do-Yun grinned sinisterly, he thought to himself "Thank you for helping me, you foolish child!"
Later that day after the festivities and ceremonies, Minister Gi, was summoned to the residence of Minister Lim. When he arrived the guards of the residence bowed to him. He was guided into the pavilion where their meeting was to take place. On his way there, he noticed several palace soldiers with some court ladies.
When he reached the pavilion, he noticed that several soldiers guarded it. Upon entering, he saw Minister Lim was already discussing with someone else. He sat at the seat pointed by Minister Lim. "Minister Lee, where are your manners? Kindly greet our guest" Minister Lim said
The minister's eyes widened when he saw Minister Lee's guest. "Your Majesty?"
"Greetings Minister Gi, please don't tell me, you were kept in the dark about my contributions?" Queen Lee, slyly said
"Contributions? What contributions is she talking about Lord Lim?" Minister Gi asked in confusion while looking at Minister Lim
Minister Lim laughed out loud at his contemporary's lack of knowledge "The answer is straightforward our dear Minister Gi, it was Queen Lee who supplied us with the location of the former Queen's caravan"
"Your Majesty... you were responsible for this great victory of ours?" Minister Gi asked, his delight was evident in his eyes.
"It's funny, isn't it? The foolish King enthroned the very person responsible for the deaths of his former queen and son" Queen Lee said, while laughing. "I would have killed that brat too had he not abdicated his claim for the throne"
"But shouldn't we kill him as well?" Minister Gi asked his co-conspirators
"That would be impossible to accomplish now," Minister Lim said "After the failed rebellion and the deaths of his family. The King would surely tighten the security around him and his remaining children."
"Then all has been for naught, the King is still in control, it would take a long time for us to raise an army for another rebellion," Minister Gi said with disappointment
Minister Lim scoffs at Minister Gi's lack of faith "Not entirely a problem, please remember that the next in line to be King is the son of our contemporary"
"You don't have to worry about those two boys, the crowned prince will follow my every word and Young-Sik, I will be a caring and loving mother to him, more so than the mother he had just lost. Soon he will be eating out of my palm" Queen Lee, confidently declared
"It may take some time, but we will soon hold the throne," Minister Lim said in a stern voice "While we wait, we will make sure to cut the bonds that link the King to his allies. We will slowly weaken him from the inside"
After a week, King Seo-Jung summoned the prince to the great hall. Upon arrival, the prince is greeted by three distinguished gentlemen. "Bow in respect to your three masters Prince Young-Sik," the King said, instructing the prince on what to do.
One by one, the prince bowed to his mentors. "General Shin, I offer my respects," Prince Young-Sik declared as he bowed to the individual nearest to him. The esteemed General Shin had fought valiantly in various campaigns against foes and rebels, was recognized for his brilliance in military tactics, and was hailed as the greatest sword master in Chiongsun.
He bowed respectfully to the next figure, expressing, "Royal Physician Go, it is my esteemed privilege to learn from you." The physician acknowledged this with a bow of his own. As the head of the Royal Physicians, Physician Go is recognized as a trailblazer in Chiongsun medicine, having studied medical methods from various cultures and incorporating that wisdom to enhance the nation's medical practices.
At last, he approached the third individual and bowed respectfully. "Master Im, I ask for your forgiveness for my previous disinterest. I am now prepared to learn from you," he expressed to his former mentor. Scholar Im serves as the educator for the royal princes and is well-versed in the laws, traditions, and edicts of Chiongsun. His steadfast commitment to sharing his knowledge with eager learners is truly commendable.
The three who were hand-chosen by the King to teach his son bowed to the prince. Then they turned to King and bowed to him "Your Highness, you honor us by giving us this task. We will teach the prince diligently" They all said.
The King nodded to them, they faced the prince and spoke one at a time. "To learn from me, You must prepare your mind, conviction, and compassion," Physician Go said
Next was master Im "Like I said before my prince, to know what I know, open your heart and mind to the laws of our nation"
Finally, General Shin addressed the prince "Your Highness, to become a warrior, you need to strengthen your body, for I will push you beyond your breaking point. Your mind will determine how far you will go and your heart will dictate how powerful you will become"
"Are you ready my son, for the grueling times ahead?" The King asked the prince for the final time.
"Ye...Your Highness! I am ready!" The prince confidently answered the King.
Beside Mt. Yannge, by its eastern face lies the aptly named Mt. Yangge village. They are farmers, laborers, former soldiers, various craftsmen, former Kisaengs, and even some court maidens. They established a community that teaches and trains their young to be adept at various jobs, then they send them out to be hired by rich and noble families and even by the monarchy.
"Jin-Ri! Hong Jin-Ri...come out you little brat! Aish I've been calling you since this morning, is this what you want? For your mother to die from shouting?" a middle-aged woman shouts, looking for her daughter.
"Jin...Umph" A girl was about to shout when her mouth was covered by another girl about the same age of eight.
"Shhhhhh!" said the girl, presumably Jin-Ri, as she covered her friend's mouth as they lay hidden behind some large rocks "Are you crazy Yeng? Do you want my mother to find me?"
Yeng wrestled Jin-Ri's hand away from her mouth "Yes! Your mother and the chief have been looking for us since this morning. They want us to start our training today"
Jin-Ri scoffed at the idea of training "What would I do with that training, I'm just a kid and kids deserve to play and slack around"
"I'm Jin-Ri, nobody tells me what to do. Besides, how hard could it be?" Jin-Ri goes on, not noticing that her mother is standing right behind her.
Yeng started to fidget with her hands, she tried to point behind Jin-Ri, but the girl just rambled on "All you need to do is serve them a couple of tea, maybe a meal. When I grow up, I will be such an enchanting beauty that whoever my master is, he will surely be mesmerized by me and will want to marry me" Jin-Ri said arrogantly while she batted her eyelashes.
"Really? An enchanting beauty? Then you better start learning how to be a magician so you can change the way you look" Jin-Ri's proud expression turned to that of surprise when she heard her mother's voice behind her
Jin-Ri slowly turned around and upon seeing her mother, she gave out a big smile "Mother...I've been looking for you, I've been so excited to start my training." She said as she wrapped her arms around her mother's waist
"Are you now?" Jin-Ri's mother asked sarcastically
"Yes, Mother, I even asked Yeng to help me find you. Isn't that, right? Yeng?" Jin-Ri said while giving Yeng the stink eye
"Ah, that's right Auntie Dam. We were looking for you the entire morning. It's just that Jin-Ri always seems to go in the opposite direction" Yeng said, giving subtle hints that her friends want to avoid training.
Jin-Ri glared at Yeng, but before she could utter a word, Jin-Ri was pinched by her mother by the ear. She was then brought to the village chief, Chief Bong, Il-Sung. The chief looked at Jin-Ri with menacing eyes, frightening the little girl and prompting her to hide behind her mother.
"Child, how long have you hidden from your mother?" The chief asked in a serious tone.
However, Jin-Ri was too afraid to answer. She fears getting punished if she tells the chief she was hiding from his mother the whole morning. However, her mother told her to answer the chief's question "Common now, tell the chief how long I was looking for you"
Fearfully Jin-Ri told the truth "Since dawn Chief Bong"
The chief's reaction left mother and daughter puzzled. The chief laughed out hard and then ruffled Jin-Ri's hair. "I can see the fiery and independent spirit within you" The chief explained, clearly he was commending Jin-Ri's ability to hide. "That being said, we here at the village are in the business of producing laborers that will help our small village survive. The jobs we will train you for, all of require an obedient soul"
"Yes, Chief, I understand" Jin-Ri replied.
"So, let us begin our training" he then addressed Jin-Ri's mother "Dam, you may leave the children with us"
Jin-Ri's mother bowed and then left. The chief then asked Jin-Ri and Yeng to follow him and see the training they needed to undergo. "It is through the hard labor that our village was able to flourish, our people that get hired by the rich, the elitist, and even the palace, send a portion of their salary back here to us which we use to fund the village" The two children saw children in groups of three or more, being taught different trades.
"Why do we need to be obedient? In this line of work?" Jin-Ri asked wondering
The chief responded to the girl's inquiry "Because obedience is a very rare and valued commodity, that is what a lot of people are looking for nowadays. Have you ever heard a soldier that does not obey the King or a kisaeng that does not sing when asked to?"
"Do we at least learn how to fight?" The little girl asked enthusiastically
"Only basic self-defense techniques are needed; it is the soldiers who need to learn all the fighting techniques," the chief explained to the young girls.
They arrive in a section of the training area, where some of the class is conducted. "That is madame So" The chief pointed to the old lady in her mid or late fifties "She was a court lady in the royal palace. Your journey starts here, you must learn how to blend in the palace, for that to happen you must first learn how to become a court lady"
Jin-Ri looked at the old woman, she was going to be her instructor and learn the duties and skills needed by a court lady, and also how to properly walk, stand, greet, and bow to a noble or a member of the royal family. "The basic is just being started, go in now," The chief told Jin-Ri and Yeng. The girls let go of the Chief's hand, bowed to him, and joined the group.
Early morning the next day, in front of the prince's residence, Young-Sik waited for the first lesson, Young-Sik commenced his sword training clad in nothing but a long-sleeved shirt and a type of vest and baggy pants. General Shin handed him a rather heavy-looking sword.
The prince accepts the sword and immediately drops it. The prince tried with all his might but was unable to lift it, even with two hands "Master... this sword is too heavy" Young-Sik tried to lift the sword, barely lifting it with his two hands "How can I learn swordsmanship if I can't lift my weapon?"
"To lift and learn how to hold a sword properly is your first lesson" General Shin, walks around the prince, examining how he held the sword. "You can't lift the sword, because of the way you hold it"
"Please master teach me how to grip the sword properly," Young-Sik asked his teacher
General Shin, stood beside Young-Sik, he pulled out his sword and explained how to grip it properly "Hold the sword in front of you so it's perpendicular to the ground. Keep your dominant hand an inch from the top of the handle, and wrap your fingers and thumb so they're on opposite sides of the handle. Place your non-dominant hand at the bottom of the handle before wrapping your fingers and thumb around it. Please make sure the backs of your hands face out away from the sword on their respective sides. Keep a grip that's firm enough so the sword doesn't slip, but loose enough so you can easily maneuver around."
The prince listened carefully and watched his master, making the proper adjustments, though still heavy, he could lift the sword. He held it in a position where the tip of the sword was pointed forward. "That is good Your Highness, now hold that position. The sword you have is three times the weight of a standard sword. I want you to get used to that weight, I am giving you thirty days to get accustomed. In thirty days, once you can effortlessly lift that sword with just one hand, then and only then will we move forward. However, if after thirty days have passed and you still can't lift the sword by one hand, I will no longer teach you"
General Shin left Young-Sik grunting and straining against the sword's weight to lift it. The general had only taken a few steps when he heard the sword fall to the ground. He stopped for a moment and glanced at the prince. Young-Sik massaged his arms, but when he noticed that General Shin was observing him, he gripped the sword and lifted it again. The general then marched away.
At first, the prince could only lift the sword for one to three seconds. When he dropped the sword, he panted and knelt from exhaustion. He felt his arms trembling. He stood up and once again lifted the sword, this time he counted how long he could lift it. He counted two seconds before he dropped it again. Young-Sik took a deep breath and lifted it again, this time he counted to three before dropping the sword. The next time he lifted it, he counted to four before dropping it. He repeated his process until it surprised him that he could lift the sword to the count of ten. He smiled and said to himself "Progress" For the rest of the day all he did was continue with his process.
By the time the sun set, Young-Sik could lift the sword for almost sixty seconds. He smiled at his accomplishment, but when he tried to walk, he collapsed on the ground from muscle fatigue and exhaustion. The Queen who was watching, including the prince's Eunuch and lady-in-waiting all rushed to his side, but before they could help the prince General Shin stopped them "No!" he shouted "Nobody helps the prince, he must overcome this by himself"
The Queen walked up to the General "Please my lord, the prince needs our help, he practiced so hard the whole day and he is but a child"
"Do as the general says" Said the King, who arrived to check on his son "He is right, if the prince wants to be a warrior, then he must live as one" He then went over to where the Young-Sik was and asked him a question "This is just the first day my son, there will be many more like these and maybe even harder. Can you hold on?"
Young-Sik felt the King's question, revitalized him, and he answered "Yes Your Highness" Despite the fatigue, pain, and exhaustion, Young-Sik stood up bowed to his father, the Queen, and master, and then walked back inside his residence.
The queen gritted her teeth at her failed attempt "No matter there will be other chances to get that boy's trust and then I'll make that boy my puppet" she said to herself, then she along with her entourage walked away
Though his heart ached at his son's condition, he was proud of his determination. "Hold on to your determination, Prince Young-Sik," the king said to himself. "Only you can succeed with such an undertaking." The King and General Shin continued their discussion of the country's military tactics as they strolled away from the prince's residence.
Inside his residence, the moment he closed the doors to his bed chambers, Young-Sik collapsed on the floor. He felt his arms and legs ache, and he panted as he caught his breath. The pain in his muscles slowly subsided, and the moment the pain ceased, Young-Sik fell asleep on the cold floor.