SMOKE AND MIRRORS

"Seungman was still standing in her courtyard when the doors were flung open and a Group of Royal soldiers walked in while being led by Alcheon Rang.

"Your Highness." Alcheon Rang said as he bowed his head while Haesul Rang and Damhyeong looked at each other puzzled by her reaction.

"What is it?" Seungman asked.

"Please come with us to the State Tribunal Your Highness on Her Majesty's orders." Alcheon Rang said.

"What happened?" Seungman asked as she looked concerned.

"There has been a massacre in the Kim Manor and Kim Yushin has been injured, Her Majesty has asked you to interrogate the criminals that are involved in this case." Alcheon Rang said.

"It is my honor." Seungman said as she turned around and looked at Haesul and Damhyeong who were standing behind her.

"Are you coming with me or not?" Seungman asked.

"We're coming." They said in unison while Seungman led the way through the Royal guards as she approached the exit of the Palace.

She smiled contented inwardly.

"Bidam, let the games begin." she thought to herself while she got out with all the others.

Queen Seondeok, Bidam and Kim Chunchu arrived at the Kim Manor and there they were led right into Yushin Rang's Chambers.

There on his bed he lay unconscious while he was being tended to by a doctor with Gopheung Rang already in the vicinity and inspecting the treatment.

"Your Majesty." He said as he bowed his head while the doctor got up from where he was kneeling and bowed his head to the Queen.

"How is he?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"Pardon me Your Highness, his wound was poisoned as it is and I must say that hadn't we arrived in time then we wouldn't have been able to save him.

"What were those Generals doing in the manor, I thought that it was supposed to be a secret meeting." Queen Seondeok said.

"Your Majesty, Yushin is the best when it comes to combat, in my humble opinion I do not think that he was ready or prepared for any such sort of thing because had he known then his guards would have been on standby but surprisingly they were away at the barracks." Gopheung Rang said.

"So you mean that....?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"It was an ambush." Gopheung Rang replied, "Someone habored the intention of Killing Commander Yushin." He added.

Queen Seondeok was surprised.

"This is a very serious matter." Queen Seondeok said, "whoever the culprit is and all those that are involved, I won't forgive any of them." Queen Seondeok said.

"Calm down Your Majesty." Bidam said, "I am sure that everything will be settled sooner." He added.

"How long until he can regain his consciousness?" Queen Seondeok asked the doctor.

"To be frank with you Your Highness, I can't tell you just yet as it is still uncertain." The doctor replied.

Queen Seondeok touched her forehead and she stammered for a while until Bidam held her up.

"Your Majesty." He called.

"Please watch yourself My Queen." The doctor said.

"Your health isn't the very best Your Majesty, I suggest that you return to the Palace at once and perhaps when Yushin Rang has recovered we shall inform you." Bidam said.

"No, I am not leaving here until he has regained consciousness." Queen Seondeok said.

"You can't compromise your safety Your Majesty even for him or me or anyone else, I am sure to keep you worried here isn't something that Yushin himself would want." Bidam said.

"Your Majesty, he is right." Gopheung Rang said.

"Alright." Queen Seondeok Said, "I just need to stay a little bit longer." she added.

"Sure Your Majesty." Gopheung Rang said as The Doctor walked out with him leaving both herself and Bidam alone inside.

"Your Majesty." Bidam said.

Queen Seondeok walked closer to the side of the bed while Bidam watched.

"I am sorry Your Majesty." Bidam said.

"What are you sorry for?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"I am sorry that I can't comfort you." Bidam replied.

"It's not your fault." Queen Seondeok said, "I have known Yushin for a very long time." she added.

"I understand your pain Your Majesty." Bidam Said.

"Looking at him right now I can only imagine that had it been you in his place it wouldn't have been any different." Queen Seondeok said.

"Your Majesty really cares so much." Bidam said.

"I have to." Queen Seondeok replied.

"To have a King like you Heaven has given us too much." Bidam remarked.

"No." Queen Seondeok rebuked, "To have servants as loyal as you are is the biggest gift that heaven itself has given me." She added.

"Your Majesty." Bidam said.

"When I chose to have both you and Yushin by my side, one would be my left hand and the other my hand, without him I feel like I have laden you too much like one hand can't take the pressure of performing the joint duties of both it's own and the other." Queen Seondeok said.

"Your Majesty, did we ever complain?" Bidam asked.

"Because it was your duty not to it never stopped me from trying to understand all your sorrows and your deepest complaints, you must have had too many." Queen Seondeok said.

"When you speak Your Majesty, you make me seem to care too little and yourself to care too much." Bidam said.

"When it is my leg or one arm that hurts the other to me that is a sin that I can not forgive because harm upon one is harm to myself and where you wish death for one you wish death for me as well." Queen Seondeok said.

"Don't worry Your Majesty, I understand your concern." Bidam said.

"Can I have some time alone with Yushin?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"If Your Majesty can promise me that if it gets too painful you can turn to me me for comfort." Bidam replied.

"Bidam, some things you just can't promise." Queen Seondeok said, "It's about how hard you can find all the strength that you need to handle the situation." She added.

"Perhaps Your Majesty." Bidam replied as he bowed his head and slowly he turned around and walked out of the room leaving the Queen inside.

Queen Seondeok sat down by Yushin's side abd slowly with her fingers she removed his hair and put it right behind his hear.

"Yushin, for me why must you suffer a bit too much?" She asked.

There was no response as silence filled the room while she looked at him lying down peacefully.

"You followed me all your life and stood by me, you were someone that I could turn to and you put everything that you had on the line for me." Queen Seondeok said as she smiled.

"Yushin, hear me and don't leave me any sooner than I might leave you, rather than carry you as a scar to my own grave, I'd rather to look at you as one of the very last people smiling before I can close my eyes in eternal slumber one day." Queen Seondeok said as she smiled while she shed tears from her eyes.

Seungman arrived at the State Tribunal and there she found a group of Courtiers waiting for her and other Royal guards.

Walking through the walkways all of them bowed down their heads as they received her while she walked confidently as she moved around the fountain she mounted the stairs into the interrogation room.

She found the culprits there.

"Split them all." Seungman ordered the guards that were nearby.

"Yes Your Highness." They replied as they split all the five Generals and their fifteen subordinates.

Seungman smiled at them.

"How dare you threaten the life of our most trusted Guardian of this our Heavenly Kingdom of Shilla?" Seungman asked fiercely while they were being dragged away, "I assure you if none of you is truthful then I am going to skin you along with your wives and children and they shall be the very first as you watch them so painfully you'll die a horrible death." She added.

They were each separated and they brought the first person in front of her.

"Confess." Seungman Said, "Why did you attempt to kill him?" She added.

"There is a misunderstanding Your Highness." The suspect replied.

"You were inside a room with weapons in your hands by the time that you were found, you are respectable Generals so you know very well how to wield them." Seungman said.

"There's been a misunderstanding." The Generals said.

"Everyone else was dead so what were you doing alive, your residences aren't even in his neighbourhood either so what were you doing there in his own when it was already last midnight?" Seungman asked.

"Believe me when I say this Your Majesty but there is not a thing that we did wrong at the Kim Manor." The General said.

"Then why did you go there in the first place?" Seungman asked.

He kept quiet.

"Who sent you?" Seungman asked.

"Will you tell me now or not?" Seungman asked.

"Your Highness, up to now I have only said the truth." the General replied.

"You really think it is very hard for me to establish Your movements the past couple of days?" Seungman asked.

"Have you been watching me?" The General asked.

"Of course I have." Seungman said.

"Your Highness, what is it that you are really after?" The General asked.

"I am sure that you know what I want." Seungman said.

"We are alone in this room." The General said.

"Your hands are tied and mine aren't, as a Wonhwa I contested in the Hwarang games before you must know my prowess, in less than three seconds I can end your life so if you won't tell me what I want to here tell me and I won't waste my time doing it the easy way." Seungman said.

"Do whatever you want Your Highness." The General said.

"You realise that I have much proof against you." Seungman said.

"I am old and I am aging at the moment." The General said.

"You are right." Seungman said, "If I can't unearth your intentions tonight I probably won't even dare to try later." She added.

"The worst you are going to do to me is kill me if I accept the charge of having attempted to murder Yushin Rang but if you think that with just one simple move you can tackle an operation that has been organized for fifteen years now you must be mistaken." The General replied.

"I assure you that you'll tell me the person that is behind you one way or another." Seungman said.

"What if I don't Your Highness?" The General asked.

"You'll spare me the effort." Seungman replied, "Someone else will one way or another." She added.

"I want to see you try, we are all humans after all and those are men that respect tradition, your revolution has only made tumult reign all over our land and you yourselves gave Shilla the Female Ruler Jin." The General said.

"Call her Her Majesty." Seungman said.

"What if I don't?" The General asked.

"Allow me to make you." Seungman said as she stood up.

"Guards." she called and they immediately walked right in.

"Your Highness." They replied as they bowed their heads to her.

"Bring all the others to the Courtyard." Seungman ordered.

"Yes Your Highness." The guards replied as they carried the General outside and along with all the other nineteen.

They were all placed on their knees and Seungman positioned herself right in front of them all.

"I am going to ask you all genuinely, who is your instigator?" Seungman asked.

"They all kept quiet while the others looked away and they pretended not to hear Seungman.

"You realise that you have threatened the stability of our Heavenly Kingdom by attempting to assassinate the Commander of the Royal forces of our Heavenly Kingdom.

I can not forgive you and so can't the law." Seungman said but they were still keeping quiet.

"Even if you give us the worst punishments, we shall not tell you a word." One of the Generals said.

"Won't you?" Seungman Asked.

"We won't tell you a thing." The General replied.

"How hard do you wish to make yourselves?" Seungman asked.

"We won't tell you a word." The Generals said as it was that they seemed to remain that way Seungman looked at them that she eventually smiled.

"Alright." She eventually spoke whole she unsheathed one of the swords that belonged to a nearby guard and she stretched it out and put it at the neck of one of the Generals.

"Tell me who is your instigator?" Seungman asked.

"You can take my life if you want,we won't say a thing." The General replied.

"I don't need to do a thing to you to get you to tell me who is behind you." Seungman said as she smiled ghastly.

"Bring them in." Seungman ordered and at once the guards along with a large group of people walked in and the Generals and their subordinates looking at them their expressions changed drastically.

"You." The General said.

"I merely did what you did and it is called preparing for the storm." Seungman said.

"You witch." The General said.

"If I am a witch what are you?" Seungman asked.

They all kept quiet.

"We are all warriors here and we are used to spilling blood every now and then." Seungman said while Alcheon Rang looked on a little bit puzzled.

"Can you.....?" The General said.

"Why can't I?" Seungman asked, "Would you have treated me and my people any different?" She asked.

"I am offering you a chance won't you still tell me who it is that is behind you?" Seungman asked.

They all looked down.

"Still unwilling?" Seungman said as she turned around and she looked at a small girl that was standing by.

"For Shilla it doesn't matter how much blood I must shed, if you all can't talk then fine, watch me, I'll see how many heads from your families shall get you all to speak up." Seungman said as she ran the sword and descended it upon the neck of the young girl.

"Your Highness." The General said thaf she halted.

"It appears that you still dare me." Seungman said.

"You are a woman, how could you be this heartless and shrewd?" The General Asked.

"I have crossed the line but so have you, you are selfish with your own families that you don't care about the families of those others out there." Seungman said, "How can you qualify Yourselves to be leaders in our heavenly kingdom, how can your descendants and your people be proud.

I now have all the more reason to believe that all of you that are here really had the intention to kill because if you can plead your innocence then why were all these that you love and cherish be smuggled off to Handasa County

To me these children will die Patriots but because of you they'll probably never know what happiness comes with raising their very own children and all starting their own families.

Are you still unwilling to tell me what I want to hear or should I repeat the question for you so loud and clear?" Seungman asked.

The men kept quiet.

"Everyone of you shall be given a piece of paper before my patience wears totally thin, if still by then you haven't confessed and told me the person that is behind your politically illicit behavior then I won't spare anyone of the people before me." Seungman said.

"Have Mercy Your Highness." One of the Generals said that all the others started bowing down their heads and begging for Mercy.

The unarmed guards walked up to them and they put down pieces of paper with ink brushes by the side.

"Now all of you, write." Seungman ordered and immediately they all started writing their confessions secretly while being carefully monitored.

When they were all finished they handed over their pieces of paper.

Looking at one another the papers were handed over to Seungman who examined the contents with her eyes she eventually smiled at all of them.

"Thank you so much for your cooperation, you shall all be detained." Seungman said as she turned around with the testimonies and along with all the other Courtiers of the State Tribunal she handed them over when everyone was watching.

They looked through and she smiled at them.

"Who is the mastermind in at least four of the statements?" Seungman asked.

The eyes of the Ministers were wide open and they couldn't believe it as well.

"Sangdaedeung?" Alcheon Rang said. "Bidam?" He added.

"You have all received them first-hand in front of all these witnesses no one can allege that I tampered with them." Seungman said.

"You traitors." Alcheon Rang said. "I'll kill that....?" He was still saying when Seungman halted him.

"Justice itself shall be served accordingly." Seungman replied, "And we need these very people here to do it for us." Seungman said as she turned around and she looked at the Generals.

They all stood up that instant and unsheathing the swords of the nearby guards they slew some of them while they cut open the ropes that were binding them.

"Let them go." They said while Seungman looked at them while they had captured two of the other Courtiers.

"Halt." Seungman ordered Alcheon Rang.

"Your Highness." Alcheon Rang said as he wanted to go further ahead and attack.

"Let their family members go." Seungman replied while the guards that had apprehended all the others finally cut off the ropes that bound them.

"Whether you choose to resist or not it doesn't really matter, how far can you run from Seoraebeol?" Seungman asked.

"Stay away." The Generals said as they slowly withdrew while there within the Courtyard, a few of the soldiers that were standing there turned on the others and they also slew them that they fell down to the ground while Seungman, Alcheon Rang, Damhyeong, Haesul and a few of the other Ministers of the State Tribunal were fully surrounded.

"You think that you are the only one that can scheme Your Highness?" The General asked.

"It doesn't matter, you have confessed." Seungman said.

"But will you live to carry that news beyond these walls?" They asked.

"It doesn't matter by now I assure you that there are informants that are waiting at the Palace for Her Majesty the Queen and by now she should already be there." Seungman said.

"Don't be too eager." The Generals said.

"I won't." Seungman said, "I don't need to." She added.

Queen Seondeok walked out of Yushin Rang's Chambers and there she found Bidam waiting down at the foot of the stairs.

She descended them.

"Your Majesty." Bidam said as he bowed his head.

"I am going back to the Palace." Queen Seondeok said as she walked away as she was being escorted by Gopheung Rang and the rest of her entourage.

Bidam looked back at the doors and there he smiled before he also walked away as well.

"What more are you going to do here?" The Generals asked Seungman.

"You don't have to worry about me, just worry about yourselves." Seungman said.

"Then we assure you that you won't leave this courtyard." The Generals said, "And neither will you set foot out of this vicinity." They added.

"There are ten thousand soldiers waiting for us outside and surrounding us all your Highness, I wish to say that this is called preparing for the storm." another said just like she had spoken.

"Alright." Seungman said, "I rest my case." She added.

"You've done well." The Generals replied as they pushed the other Courtiers ahead whole they themselves stepped out they shut the gates while a large group of soldiers positioned themselves on the roofs around them Seungman and the others were all caught up in between.

Seungman looked up at the sky with all the others that were standing behind her.

"Your Highness, what are we going to do right now?" Haesul Rang asked while all the other ministers of the State Tribunal were shivering with fear as Seungman retained her composure.

"You shouldn't worry, there isn't much time left and the truth won't be hidden for so long." Seungman replied.

Queen Seondeok had returned to her Chambers and she was still seated there as she massaged her temples.

She was turning pale and she looked very worried when she thought about Yushin Rang.

At that moment, Boyeong walked up to her and bowing her head she handed over an envelope.

"What's this Boyeong?" The Queen asked.

"Your Majesty, that is the report that Bidam presented about the death of Galmunwang Gukban." Boyeong replied and the moment that she'd mentioned it the Queen seemed to recall what had happened the previous night.

"I forgot all about it." Queen Seondeok said as she took the envelope into her hands and opening it she pulled out the long piece of paper and started reading through it.

Her eyes widened while she was shocked by it's contents.

"What's wrong Your Majesty?" Boyeong asked when Gopheung Rang walked in right that very incident.

"Your Majesty." He said as he bowed his head.

"Impossible." Queen Seondeok said.

"Your Majesty." Boyeong called.

"It can not be." Queen Seondeok said as she put down the letter while Gopheung took it into his arms and he looked through it right away.

He too was surprised.

"Your Majesty, this can not be." Gopheung Rang said, "Yushin couldn't have instigated the murder of Galmunwang Gukban." He added.

"All that evidence was gathered, if Yushin Rang had the intention of Killing him in the first place then why would he be nearly assassinated?" Queen Seondeok said.

"Your Majesty, something is not right." Gopheung Rang said while the Queen touched her forehead and she seemed to cry in pain.

"Your Majesty." Boyeong said as she held her.

"What is happening to her?" Gopheung Rang said.

"She was so worried about Yushin Rang that she couldn't sleep at night no matter how hard I tried to convince her." Boyeong replied

"Call the Royal Doctor, he should come in secret." Queen Seondeok said.

"Hurry up." Boyeong said to Gopheung Rang.

"Right away." Gopheung Rang replied as he walked out of the room.

Reaching there he stopped at one of the guards and he handed over an envelope.

"Take it to the Kim Manor right away." Gopheung ordered.

"Yes Sir." The soldier replied as he bowed his head and he ran away immediately while Gopheung Rang travelled in the opposite direction leaving all the other guards around the Queen's Chambers.

The guard who was travelling with the letter stopped in an alley that was right next to Ilsan Palace which was once inhabited by Queen Sungman and there he found another person waiting.

He handed the letter over to him and taking it in his possesion, Yeomjong smiled.

"Thank you." Yeomjong said as he smiled ghastly that he turned around and he walked away.

Seungman was seated inside the interrogation room and at that moment the doors were flung open and someone walked in.

"It took you long enough Your Excellency, dint you think?" Seungman said as the man stopped right in front of him and sat down to reveal himself as Bidam.

"Your Highness, I must admit that I underestimated you and you managed to orchestrate such a wonderful game yesterday." Bidam said as he smiled ghastly at Seungman.

"You too are in deed remarkable, you managed to maneuver everything and now I am a prisoner within these walls." Seungman remarked.

"Perhaps Your Highness." Bidam said.

"I always wondered what made you Bidam so special, now I realise that just like myself, your thinking is above that of average people and your wisdom surpasses that of many people that I have ever seen in all the different walks of life." Seungman said.

"You were able to get all my puppets to confess everything and judging by your expression I suppose that there is nothing for me to butter as you are aware of everything." Bidam said.

"Don't worry, I am in deed aware of Everything." Seungman replied.

"Why?" Bidam asked.

"You killed my father." Seungman replied.

"And where has that brought you?" Bidam asked.

"Here." Seungman replied.

"Where you'll be defeated again." Bidam Said.

"So what do you plan to do, organize a rebellion and force Her Majesty to abdicate or perhaps declare you as her successor because she doesn't have that much time left." Seungman said.

"Thanks to you I can finally have a scapegoat and the rebellion is going to be there except that I won't be the one who is the rebel at least in the eyes of Her Majesty and everyone else." Bidam said.

"Let me guess, I am going to be the rebel." Seungman said.

"You are too smart." Bidam replied.

"And you shall be the Redeemer that Her Majesty shall trust to possess this our heavenly kingdom?" Seungman asked.

"Not so bad isn't it?" Bidam said, "Either way you had the support of Yushin Rang and Kim Chunchu, Alcheon along with all the others of your household her Majesty concerning you being here she doesn't need to know." Bidam said.

"At last, you revealed yourself to me." Seungman said.

"You are going to die anyway I don't need to lie to you anymore, whether you turn into a vicious ghost and haunt me it doesn't matter because I have seen much worse demons to be afraid of ghosts isn't on my side a possibility." Bidam said.

"You overestimate yourself Your Excellency." Seungman said.

"You underestimate me." Bidam said.

"Go on." Seungman said, "I on the other hand don't believe a thing your saying." She added.

"My men are in the palace as we speak, Yushin Rang's soldiers are out of Seoraebeol waiting at the border to face of Paekche because someone told them to travel in Yushin Rang's name and you can guess who it is.

I am the most powerful man in Seoraebeol and I can give the Queen a very quiet and peaceful death and manipulate everything that is going in and out of the Palace because she trusts me so much I don't want her to die feeling that trust has been betrayed." Bidam said.

"How tiresome it must have been." Seungman said.

"Until now I didn't know that you were the mysterious schemer that was pulling all the shots even when I chose to have eyes everywhere but then I realised that if you were up to exposing me you needed to first be watching me.

I didn't expect the massacre at the Kim Manor because my intention was that my spies would confess everything that was being planned by Yushin Rang while you chose the best opportunity to force them to confess who their mastermind was.

However contrary to that perhaps you planned a little bit too much and Yushin Rang is unconscious at the moment in his manor which to me is a good thing after all." Bidam said as he leaned over the table and looked at Seungman.

"Shouldn't I thank you for having made this a lot easier than I had ever imagined?" He asked.

Seungman smiled at him and at that moment Yeomjong walked in with an envelope hurriedly.

"Your Excellency." He said as he bowed his head while offering the letter to him.

Bidam took it into his possesion and opening the envelope he pulled out a piece of paper which he unfolded and read the contents.

His eyes widened at the words that were written inside there.

"Your Excellency." Yeomjong said as he wore an expression of worry all over his face upon reading the words that were written inside.

"Impossible." Bidam said as he looked at Seungman who smiled ghastly at him.

"Why?" She asked.

But Bidam placed the paper on the table and Seungman read what was written on it.

"SLAY BIDAM." It said and it was stamped with the Royal seal in the left corner.

"Was Your Excellency not comfortable with Her Majesty's trust in you?" Seungman asked while Bidam's eyes became teary.

"Where in Her Majesty's heart do you lie now Bidam, you yourself have been deserted once again." Seungman said.

Bidam then recalled the words that Her Majesty the Queen had told him when they were inside the Kim Manor the previous night.

"When it is my leg or one arm that hurts the other to me that is a sin that I can not forgive because harm upon one is harm to myself and where you wish death for one you wish death for me as well." Queen Seondeok had said and those words kept on lingering at the back of his mind while he was frozen in one place.

At that moment another messenger hurriedly walked into the room.

"Your Excellency." He said as he bowed his head.

"What is it?" Yeomjong asked.

"The Kim Manor." The man replied.

"What's wrong with the Kim Manor?" Bidam asked.

"Kim Yushin, is missing." The messenger replied and Bidam so surprised widened his eyes.

"What do you mean missing?" Yeomjong asked.

"He's not in his room." The messenger replied.

At that moment another walked into the room.

"Your Excellency, trouble." He said.

"Say it." Bidam ordered.

"Wolseong Palace." The messenger replied and at that very moment Bidam stood up while Seungman stood up as well and she looked him in the eye while his were bloodshot with anger burning in them.

"In a couple of minutes I believe that all your soldiers that are surrounding this facility shall be arrested, Wolseong Palace is no longer in your custody right now but in mine, Yushin and Kim Chunchu's.

One way or another you are not going to survive beyond these walls Bidam as long as I am still caught inside unless you fight your way out because it isn't even my life that is at risk right now I believe that you should prepare your future." Seungman said.

Bidam looked at her and he smiled.

"This is what you wanted." He said.

"I won't need to have to prove that you are leading a rebellion anymore Bidam, it turns out that for you to survive it is your last way out." Seungman replied.

"Gain all, lose all, there's nothing in between." Bidam said.

"Regardless of the situation Bidam, you are against my wall and you can run no longer, this is where I believe you have first failed and on the other hand Bidam, I am Victorious." Seungman said as she smiled ghastly.