THE ARREST

"Lead the treason plot." King Gwangyang said to Minister Han.

"Your Majesty." Lord Han said as he fell down onto the ground on his knees.

"You heard me." King Gwangyang repeated himself as though he was not bothered by it at all.

"I do not mean to disrespect your Majesty but what you are asking for me is much more than I can offer." Lord Han said.

"Where and to whom does your loyalty lie, in your position, in your wealth, in the power that you have accumulated over the years?" King Gwangyang asked.

"No Sure." Lord Han said as he kept on smacking his head onto the ground.

"If I have offended your Majesty in any way then punish me if you must but don't make me an enemy of yours, I am fearful that you shall resent me." Lord Han said.

"I asked a question and your answer is out of it, where and precisely to whom does your loyalty lie?" King Gwangyang asked.

"In you your Majesty, in this our heavenly kingdom of Geosan, if I must revolt then it is to those who wish to rob this Kingdom of a wise and powerful ruler like you." Lord Han replied.

"Then I am asking you to lead the treason plot." King Gwangyang said.

"Jeonha." Lord Han called out heavily hearted.

"Your service is competent and unequalled, you are brave and amongst most of the officials in my government trustworthy.

You are the last Han in this world that I certainly trust and I am only asking to use you as a sword to cut down my enemies.

I am asking you to plough the lands and rid them of hardness that we can sow amongst our people a seed of nationalism, love for our state.

I am asking you to be my shield that is going to help me lure all the insurgents out of their hiding place.

I am asking you to be a hero not because of your own self pride but because of that love that you have for this country, the love that surpasses that of any other Minister.

I am asking you to get justice and to clear your name of all those false accusations that others are hurling against you.

I am in all my power and might trying to protect you and all that I am asking for is that you alone you help me fulfill that for you so that at last we can secure the future of this our heavenly kingdom of Geosan." King Gwangyang said.

"Your Majesty's benevolence is immeasurable, your Majesty's grace is boundless and your Majesty's care flatters me, how ever can ever I repay you?" Lord Han asked.

"Help me lure the criminals to Justice." King Gwangyang replied.

"If your Majesty trusts me then I shall do as you ask of me." Lord Han said.

"Very well then." King Gwangyang said.

"You may take your leave." he added.

"Yes your Majesty." Lord Han replied as he stood up and took his leave.

The moment he walked out of the hall, Mr. Geum was waiting outside for him.

"What has his Majesty decided on?" Lord Geum asked.

"I need to find a way to lure all other insurgents and revolters out." Lord Han said as they walked out of the palace courtyard.

"How are you going to do that?" Lord Geum asked.

"I am going to think about it, in the mean time I have to go back home." Lord Han said as he got into his carriage.

"Alright then, I'll see you around." Lord Geum said as He bowed his head.

The carriers then started moving until they were out of sight.

Seunghyeonjeong was waiting outside the gates of the family manor when suddenly, the carriage that was carrying his father arrived.

Lord Han stepped out and Seunghyeonjeong rushed out towards him.

"Father." He called as he embraced him in a hug.

"What is it Seunghyeon?" Lord Han asked.

"It is mother." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"What happened to your mother?" Lord Han asked.

"Mother is ill." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

At once, Lord Han hurriedly walked into the Manor and rushed off straight away to his own chambers.

He found the servants crowded outside and his two sons Seungjae and Seungnyang standing outside while looking at the closed doors.

"What happened here?" Lord Han asked.

"Mrs Han." His mother said hesitantly.

"What happened to her?" Lord Han asked his mother with his heart heavily beating faster and faster.

"Mrs. Han, your wife, my son, she has been poisoned." Lord Han's mother replied.

"Poisoned, what?" Lord Han said as he stumbled backwards and nearly fell to The ground but supported himself on the wall.

He was becoming dizzier and forced himself to open the door and walk in.

It was an astonishing sight that left him dumbfounded as he watched the doctor tending to his wife who was nearly pale.

"What happened to her?" Lord Han said as he rushed over to the bedside where he took a closer look at his wife as he awaited the doctor's answer.

Lady Kim's hand was covered in blood and there was a wound on her right side of the chest.

There was a broken arrow beside the bed and Lord Han was trying to piece everything together.

"Your wife was struck by a poisonous arrow." The doctor replied.

"A poisonous arrow, when?" Lord Han asked.

"He was out walking with Seunghyeonjeong and as they were walking in the market, the young boy said that the arrow flew from nowhere." The doctor replied.

"What?" Lord Han asked.

"She told me to give this to you and she was holding onto it at the time of the accident." The Doctor said as he caught hold of a crumpled piece of paper.

It had some dried up stains of blood and amidst all that he did not cease to wail as he spread the piece of paper and opened it to read.

"Do what is best for you." He read it.

"What does this mean?" he inwardly thought about it as he looked at his wife.

"Who could have been behind the attack?" he asked himself.

"Are you alright?" The doctor asked.

"Will she be fine?" Lord Han asked the Doctor.

"She is out of danger and she needs some rest so that she can quickly recover but other than that she doesn't need to be stress and she'll be bedridden for a while." The doctor replied.

"For how long?" Lord Han asked.

"About three days." the doctor said.

"Very well then." Mr. Han said.

"I'll take my leave now." The doctor said as he left Lord Han caressing the cheek of his wife.

He walked out of the door where everyone was earnestly waiting for some good news.

"She will be well." The Doctor said before he was escorted out of the Han residence.

At once, the three sons Seungjae, Seungnyang and Seunghyeonjeong rushed into the room.

"Mother." they called as they rushed next to their mother's bed.

Almost right after that, Mr. Song walked in.

"My apologies My Lord." Mr. Song said.

"This is because of your irresponsibility how could the lady of the house leave it unprotected?" Lord Han asked.

"My Lady requested that she'd spend time alone with her son without guards." Mr. Song replied.

"I do not care, You know I can not forgive myself if anything bad ever happens to my wife and the mother of my children.

Despite that you let her go." Lord Han said.

"My apologies My Lord, forgive my incompetence and irresponsibility." Mr. Song said.

Lord Han just stood up and massaged his forehead as he seemed to be thinking about something.

"Send out a messenger to the Geum residence, I want to have a word with Minister Geum as fast as possible." Lord Han said.

"Yes my Lord." Mr. Song said as he bowed his head and then took his leave.

Seunghyeonjeong looked and studied the Expression on his father's face.

He could tell that there was something that bothered his father so much and judging by the atmosphere that he had created in the room it was very clear that there was a very big problem.

After a while of waiting, Lord Geum arrived at the Han residence and he was led straight into Lord Han's study.

"My wife was struck by a poisoned arrow." Lord Han said.

"How,who could break into one of the most protected residences in the capital in broad daylight and attempt to assassinate your wife?" Lord Geum asked.

"She was attacked outside." Lord Han replied.

"And what were the guards doing in the meantime?" Lord Geum asked.

"She left per her request without any special protection along with my son." Lord Han replied.

"It still doesn't make sense at all, and why would anyone there really attack your wife innocently?" Lord Geum asked.

Lord Han got a hold of the paper that the doctor had given to him.

"What is this?" Lord Geum asked as he unfolded the paper that had been given to him.

"Apparently, the doctor said that she had it and she asked him to give it to me." Lord Han replied.

"DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU." Lord Geum read it out aloud.

"So that means that your wife must have known something was not right." Lord Geum said.

"She walked out of the house alone with her son in broad daylight and she was without security when she was shot." Lord Geum said.

"Yes." Lord Han said.

"Apparently it was all orchestrated by someone." Lord Han said.

"What you're trying to say is that..." Lord Geum said.

"Yes, whoever attacked her knew that she was going to leave the manor alone and also the time of her departure." Lord Han said.

"That means that there was someone inside here who could have known a thing or two about the attack." Lord Geum said.

"Yes, I was starting to wonder why there are supposedly linkages that strengthen accusations about me holding treason plots.

There are people out there misbranding my name or if even worse, they are only looking forward to my downfall." Lord Han said.

"That alone?" Lord Geum asked.

"There is another plan?" Lord Han said.

"What is it?" Lord Geum asked.

"They want to win me over so they are insurgents some of which could be close enough, more than I can imagine and yet you are someone that I can trust." Lord Han said.

"So you are sure that your enemy is nearby?" Lord Geum asked.

"Not just nearby, there are traitors here in the house of Han, if not, how would my wife, one of my weakest spots be harmed under a planned attack." Lord Han said.

"Then what do you propose that we are going to do?" Lord Geum asked.

Before he could give an answer, there was an interrupting noise that emerged from outside.

"Master." He heard people calling his name when the doors of his study were slid open all of a sudden.

Lord Han and Lord Geum stood up that Instant as a group of officers entered the room.

"What is with this commotion at my house?" Lord Han asked.

"Cease him." One of the police officers said and a couple of other soldiers came up to Lord Han and ceased him.

"You are under arrest for treason." The officer replied.

"What, me, treason?" Lord Han wondered.

"There is no proof for you to apprehend me." Lord Han spoke up in his own defence.

"We have proof with us at the Office of the Inspector General." The officer replied.

"We have been additionally given orders by the King to apprehend you and bring you before the court as an official for trial." The officer said.

"What?" Lord Han said.

"Drag him out." the officer said.

"Yes Sir." The guards replied and Lord Han while being tied up by strong nylon ropes, he was led out of his study as Lord Geum rushed after him.

"Father, father,father." His son's cried as they struggled to get to him but they were all halted halfway.

Seunghyeonjeong managed to slip past some officers and ceased his father's legs while he pleaded with him to stay.

"Please, let go, be strong,for your mother." Lord Han said.

"No father, please stay." Seunghyeonjeong pleaded and cried bitterly until a number of guards came and severed him from his father's legs.

Lord Han was led away nonetheless.

As he approached the entrance to his Manor, He saw Mr. Song standing right there with his head down.

"You are innocent My Lord, why should they apprehend you?" Mr. Song asked.

"You know the truth and the truth will be made known to the world, when my wife wakes up, tell every one else including my sons to tell her that I have gone for business.

Whatever happens make sure she doesn't leave the Manor and that she doesn't get visitors or News from outside, tell her it's the doctors order but say nothing on what has happened here today." Lord Han said.

"Yes My Lord, I will gladly await your arrival." Mr. Song said.

"Thank you." Lord Han mentioned lastly and was dragged away without further adieu.

At once, the officers led the way through the narrow and quiet street as they headed for the Office of the Inspector General.

Lord Geum stood at the gates and watched as Lord Han and the officers vanished from his sight totally.

"I shall take my leave." Lord Geum said as he bowed down to Mr. Song.

"Send my best regards to Mrs. Han and tell her that I wish her a very quick recovery." Lord Geum added.

"Yes Sir, thank you for your kindness and I'll make sure to pass down the message for you." Mr. Song said and he saw off the visitor immediately before he returned inside the Manor and closed the doors.