RED STAR IN THE SKY GORYEO (The Scent Of Life 2)
CHAPTER 5 VISIT TO THE PALACE

The next day, Byeol had prepared as well and beautifully as possible. He was wearing a blue silk shirt. He wore the most beautiful hair ornaments and a strand of pearls on his head. He repeatedly saw his face in the metal mirror. Her face is beautiful with charming dimples. Yideum who combed Byeol's hair was smiling to see his young lady so excited.

Byeol said goodbye to his mother, then went into the stretcher. Yideum and several servants joined Mr. Choi's entourage. Mr. Choi's entourage walks in the middle of the city.

They arrived in front of the palace gate. Byeol opened his window and looked out. He looked at the sturdy and majestic palace entrance gate. Arriving at the door, Byeol got off the stretcher. He stood staring at the wide and tall palace gate.

Suddenly his eyes turned round. Byeol just fell silent. His body suddenly felt cold. In his eyes it seemed as if seeing events after events alternated. He saw Byeol enter the palace gate, then a terrible event appeared. It was as if there was bloodshed going on in the palace.

He saw a festival that was muddled by a fight. The face of a young man who was executed by a man he did not know, then came the face of an old man who was also executed by a man who Byeol himself did not know who it was. Then came the face of a man who approached her, extending his hand with a smile. A war with people who wear clothes like the Mongols, and he was in the middle of that war.

"Byeol ... Byeol-ah .. are you okay?" asked Mr. Choi to resuscitate Byeol who was silently staring with blank eyes. Byeol looked towards the palace gate. Byeol wakes up after Mr. Choi's voice calls out his name. Byeol seemed to have just woken up from a dream.

"Well, Dad, I'm just a little nervous and hesitant to go in" Byeol explained.

Lord Choi looked at Byeol with a suspicious look. Looking at Byeol's suddenly pale face, his eyes blank, and silently stared for so long. She was worried something might happen to her son.

"We arrived in front of the palace. Let's go in," asked Mr. Choi, dismissing his prejudice on Byeol.

Byeol and Lord Choi's entourage enter the vast and magnificent palace. They were greeted by a eunuch and the ladies in the palace courtyard. Byeol saw guards everywhere. The building in the palace is large and beautiful. The eunuch smiled and drove them to a palace complex. The servants and deliverymen were escorted by a ladyboy to another place.

Lord Choi conversed while walking with the eunuch named Eunuch Han. Byeol walked behind them while looking to and fro admiring the beauty and splendor of the palace. They will go to the court of Queen Janghwa, one of the queens of the Goryeo kingdom. Hearing the name of the queen, Man Se in Byeol felt amazed, and curious about the great figure in the history of Goryeo. As Man Se remembered she was the mother of Wang Mu.

Finally they arrived in front of Queen Janghwa's palace. Byeol's heart was pounding as if his chest was about to explode so nervously. There was the sound of a lady-in-waiting telling their arrival. Then a female voice came from inside inviting them to enter. They also enter. Byeol saw a middle-aged woman with a graceful makeup, wearing a beautiful hairpiece over her head. His clothes were made of red and black silk with gold thread embroidery. Judging from his facial line he was a friendly man. Queen Janghwa smiled in welcome. Lord Choi saluted, and Byeol followed his father's movements from behind.

"Choi Ji Mong long time no see you," welcome the Queen

"Greetings servant, your highness," replied Lord Choi.

"Who's the girl behind you?" ask Queen Janghwa curiously

"Aaah, this is the servant girl, your highness," replied Lord Choi.

"Greet Her Majesty the Queen" Lord Choi ordered Byeol.

"Greetings to the servant, your majesty," said Byeol, bowing his body to the floor.

"Well, that's so sweet" praised Queen Janghwa

"Byeol is still a child, your majesty, please guide you to the servant girl," said Lord Choi humbled.

Queen Janghwa discussed the Crown Prince's birthday festival and details of the event. The Princes want to put on a special show for the Crown Prince. The Queen asked Lord Choi to help train the princes for a sword dance performance and organize the event with Prince Wang Jung. Byeol just sat listening behind his father.

***

Lord Choi and Byeol came out of Queen Janghwa's palace complex to a pavilion where Lord Choi lived while in the palace. A two-story wooden building on the edge of a large pond. Byeol was amazed to see his father's room. Many books are neatly arranged on the shelf. Byeol picked up a book, but unfortunately Byeol could not read it, then threw the book back on the table. He saw a balcony overlooking the pool with a long chair to relax. Byeol happily sat down and laid himself on it. His father smiled at Byeol's behavior

"You're here. Don't go anywhere. I'll have Yideum and the palace lady take care of your needs. I'll take care of the princes' training" Lord Choi ordered.

Byeol just nodded his head while enjoying the beautiful atmosphere in front of him. Lord Choi left Byeol alone on the balcony.

Byeol closed his eyes, he felt the atmosphere in the house was too quiet. He wanted to go for a walk, but no one came. Finally Byeol desperate out of the house and streets around the palace. Sometimes he saw the palace guards passing by, but Byeol hid. He continued to walk further and deeper, until he heard the voices of people practicing martial arts. Byeol. He peeked out from the stone gate, it turned out that there was a vast field inside.

There are many people practicing swords. Their movements are in unison and rhythmic. Byeol was amazed to see what he saw. His father was training them. Byeol knew for sure they were the princes of the palace. There was Wang Wook also in that line. The man who met Byeol at the market. Byeol was fascinated to see Prince Wook, until he did not realize there was someone behind him carrying a sword. The man tapped the base of his sword into Byeol's shoulder. Byeol. Feeling that someone was behind him, Byeol's reflexes turned his head. Byeol's eyes widened in shock as well as the man earlier.

"You? Horseman?" pekik Byeol then closed his mouth so as not to hear his screams.

"Byeol's? What are you doing here?" ask the man.

"I'm just walking around here. My father took me to look around the palace," explained Byeol proudly with a smile.

The man smiled.

"What are you doing here? Are you the palace guard?" ask Byeol.

"Am I like a bodyguard? Well, you might say so," replied the man with an amused smile.

Then Lord Choi appears from the inside, surprising Byeol.

"What are you doing? This is no place for women. Go back to the cottage" Lord Choi ordered Byeol.

Byeol's face immediately scowled at the sign of protest.

"Pardon the presumptuousness of Prince Wang Jung's servant girl," added Lord Choi.

Byeol was surprised, it turned out that the man in front of him was a prince.

"Ups, he's also a prince?" byeol Inner, "I'm sorry," said Byeol spontaneously as he bowed, saluting.

Byeol ran away in shame, thinking the man was a palace guard. Wang Jung laughed seeing Byeol running away.