Later that night at the King's residence, Man-Ju and Young-Sik supported their drunk father to his room, with the King's entourage closely following. The Queen arrived after being told that the King was drunk. "You horrible little boys, what have you done to your father?" She asked as she helped get the King in bed.
"We just had a drink Your Majesty" Man-Ju said snickering as he did.
Queen Eri, leaned over to her son to smell his breath and almost threw up at the stench of alcohol "Oh my, you smell terrible, go back to your mansion and fix yourself" she said to her son
She noticed Young-Sik grinning at the foot of the King's bed "I assume that you are drunk too?" to which he only replied with a smirk and a grin. "Call the prince's entourage and take them back to their residences," The Queen told her lady-in-waiting
The old lady bowed and went outside the room, she called Jin-Ri and Man-Ju's eunuch. They entered the king's room, bowed, and then led their respective prince out of the residence.
Jin-Ri grunted and heaved as she supported Young-Sik who could barely walk, from being too drunk "Next time, don't drink if you can't hold your liquor" she said to Young-Sik who was just murmuring something inaudible.
Upon entering the prince's bedroom, Jin-Ri flopped the prince onto his bed. She slumped beside the bed tired from the strain of almost carrying and dragging her drunk prince. "Things would have been easier if there were a hundred of us!" she snapped at the unconscious Young-Sik
She rose to her feet, casting a playful glance at the prince. "I could totally walk away and leave you here, but I have a feeling you'd make my life a living nightmare if I did," she teased. With a flick of her wrist, she kicked off his boots and gently tugged him up to help him into some fresh clothes.
The prince blinked awake, his gaze landing on Jin-Ri. "What's going on?" she shot back, irritation lacing her voice. With a mischievous grin, the prince suddenly lost his lunch all over poor Jin-Ri. Her face twisted in horror as the realization of Young-Sik's antics hit her.
A look of disgust crossed her face as she gazed at her blue skirt, now covered in the remnants of the prince's meal. The smell hit her like a ton of bricks, and she began to gag, and her stomach churned, she desperately scanned the area for a place to escape and purge her stomach.
As she caught sight of a magnificent golden vase, she dashed over, knelt, and buried her face in the opening, letting out several loud heaves. Wiping her mouth with her sleeve, she couldn't help but hear the prince's laughter echoing in the air. With a fiery glare, she shot a look at Young-Sik, who was suddenly and blissfully unconscious in bed. Just as she thought she was in the clear, she heaved again into the vase, her stomach dropping at the sight of the mess on the floor.
Back at the King's palace, Queen Eri received an ornate tray. On it sat an intricate porcelain teapot and cup. "Is this the tea the King drinks after having alcohol?" she asked the lady-in-waiting
The old lady bowed before answering "Yes Your Majesty"
"You are all dismissed; I will take care of the King myself," she commanded, leaving the servants taken aback by her unexpected directive. "Are you not listening to what I'm saying? I said, leave—every one of you!" Queen Eri exclaimed; her annoyance palpable.
The servants exchanged glances, hesitating for a moment before retreating, leaving the King in the care of the Queen. Queen Eri carefully set the tray down on a nearby table. From her sleeves, she retrieved a small vial and emptied its contents into a cup. Next, she added tea to the same cup, stirring the mixture with a silver spoon. With a tender touch, she lifted the King slightly and said, "Your Highness, wake up and enjoy some tea… it's your favorite," her voice soft and inviting.
The King awoke, his senses immediately drawn to the enticing aroma of the tea. He accepted the cup from the Queen and drained it in one go. As he returned to his slumber, the Queen swiftly concealed the vial, a wicked smile creeping across her face. "In just a few hours, you'll be gone!" she whispered to herself.
Just before dawn, King Seo-Jung jolted awake, his hand instinctively gripping his chest as if to contain the frantic beating of his heart. Attempting to rise, he found his limbs unresponsive, as if they were frozen in place, causing him to lose his balance and crash into the tray holding the teapot and cup. A wheezing sound escaped him as he struggled to breathe, feeling as though a heavy weight was obstructing his throat.
The King felt a wave of chills, his skin turning ice cold. His vision began to blur, yet he could still make out the serene figure of the Queen nestled in a corner of the room. "My Queen" he pleaded, struggling to crawl toward her.
Queen Eri rose from her seat and swiftly moved to a different corner of the room, deliberately putting space between herself and the ailing King. The King's eyes grew wide with fear as he grasped that the Queen was not going to offer him any assistance. "Wh…why?" he managed to stammer.
"I'm sorry, my dear husband, but this is necessary to protect our son Man-Ju from the terrible fate that awaits traitors," she explained to the anguished King.
"Why would he be labeled a traitor?" he managed to ask, struggling to find his voice.
"Because your decree calls for the execution of traitors and their entire families, doesn't it?" The queen stepped back as the King moved closer. "If you're still puzzled about how the rebels discovered the former queen's escape route during the uprising, look no further—I was the one who revealed her whereabouts The blood of your family is on my hands!" she proclaimed with a twisted sense of satisfaction.
The queen's unexpected disclosure left the king utterly astonished. With great effort, he managed to stand up, although his legs were trembling with uncertainty. He rushed toward her, but in his weakened state, a mere slap from the queen sent him tumbling to the floor.
The King struggled for breath as his life slipped away. Queen Eri knelt before him, her voice steady and without emotion. "Be a good father now," she urged. "Give your life for our son Man-Ju. Don't fret about Young-Sik; he will be with you before long!"
The King's breathing grew increasingly shallow until it finally ceased. Queen Eri, and her emotionless heart, strained to lift the King's lifeless body back onto the bed. She gathered the fallen tray and its scattered contents, taking a moment to steady herself. A laugh escaped her lips, but it quickly morphed into sobs.
Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, she saw her tears before bursting out of the King's residence, crying out, "The King is dead! My beloved King is gone! My husband is lost!" She wept and fell to the ground. The guards rushed into the King's chambers, only to find him resting peacefully in bed, oblivious to the heart-wrenching events that had just transpired.
Jin-Ri rushed toward Prince Young-Sik's quarters, bursting through the front door and hurrying down the hallway straight into his room, which she had just tidied up. "Your Highness! You need to wake up…Your Highness!" she called out urgently.
Prince Young-Sik squinted in the dim light, clearly annoyed as he sat up in bed. "What's the matter with you?" he retorted sharply. Jin-Ri hesitated, struggling to find the right words to deliver the devastating news.
Taking a steadying breath, she finally said, "Your Highness…your father, the King…he has just passed away."
The announcement of the King's passing hit like a blast of frigid water. Prince Young-Sik, almost in a daze, carefully nudged Jin-Ri aside as he made his way to the King's mansion. With each step, the weight of his sorrow seemed to quicken his pace.
Soon enough, Young-Sik was sprinting toward the King's palace. He reached the entrance just as Man-Ju did. The two brothers dashed into their father's chamber, where they found Physician Go tending to the King's deceased body.
They froze at the doorway, overwhelmed with shock and sorrow. Physician Go was the first to lay eyes on the crowned prince. With a deep bow, he announced his presence. in a booming voice, "Your Highness!"
All eyes shifted to the brothers as they acknowledged Man-Ju with a respectful bow. In a moment of shared understanding, Young-Sik, despite the weight of his sorrow, knelt down and offered his reverence to the newly crowned King.
With the dawn breaking, Eunuch Ahn stood on the throne room's roof, the late King's royal dragon robes fluttering in the morning breeze. He called out, "Your Highness! Return to us, Your Highness!" His voice trembled, heavy with sorrow and longing.
In her mansion, the Queen, draped in white mourning robes, scoffs, "What a ridiculous wail…summoning the dead!" Minister Gi asked,
"What's on the horizon? Do we now wield the supreme power in Chiongsun?" Minister Lim asserted,
"We hold that power for our benefit and our lineage." Minister Lim stared intently at Queen Eri, cautioning, "Keep your son in line, ensure he follows my commands, or I will find someone else to take his place."
"Stop fretting over my son; your focus should be on that scoundrel," Queen Eri snapped at the two ministers. "As long as he breathes, he poses a danger to us all. I know none of you have the strength to take him down, so put your minds to work and eliminate him!"
"You insolent woman! How dare you speak to us like that?" Minister Gi retorted fiercely.
"I can address you this way because I'm the only one taking action. I killed the King and revealed the former queen's whereabouts. You're just a small man trying to appear larger by standing on a pile of lies!" The Queen shouts at the minister
"Enough the both of you!" Minister Lim said with a raised tone "It's not yet time to fight amongst ourselves" He glared and growled at his two cohorts "Now you claim you have the new King under control, now I want his bastard brother under control or dead"
Inside the king's residence, the two princes were positioned opposite each other next to the King's altar. Man-Ju was the first to voice his thoughts, declaring in a melancholic voice, "I'm going to need your support, brother. I can't lead this nation without you."
With tears cascading down his cheeks, Young-Sik pulled on his hair "This is my fault, I should have watched over him, I should have never left his side"
Man-Ju realizing that Young-Sik is blaming himself for their father's death quickly spoke to comfort him "This has nothing to do with you or anyone else brother. Father died because of heart problems…he did not die because of you, it was just his time" Man-Ju hoped his words would reach Young-Sik's soul, not wanting him to sink into depression again.
Young-Sik wiped away his tears, knelt, drew his sword, and extended the weapon in a gesture of loyalty. "I pledge my loyalty to you, Your Highness. Your enemies shall be my enemies, and I will not hesitate to strike down anyone who dares to threaten or betray you! You are the last of my family, and I will protect you fiercely, both in this life and beyond!"
"I swear an oath of loyalty to you brother, I will safeguard this country and you from any harm, and I will lead my people to a better life," Man-Ju swore in return, The two brothers embraced tightly and promised to protect and serve each other.