Chapter 35 Red Winter Part 1

It was late at night, and Sukh carried a bamboo scroll, rushing towards the gate of Tanzang's capital city. He rode his horse to the city gate and stopped abruptly. The guards, who were already on high alert, had pointed their weapons at him.

"Who are you?" the leading guard demanded, his voice angry. "What business do you have at this hour of night?"

Sukh looked down at the ten guards, then at the bright candlelight in the distant palace, visible even from the city gate. "I have urgent news," Sukh stated. "Open the gate."

Still pointing his spear at Sukh, the lead guard glanced at the rest of his crew, then turned back to Sukh. "Breaking into the city at night is a capital offense," the lead guard said, his stance unyielding.

Sukh reached for the seal at his waist and threw it at the guard. The guard looked at the shiny golden seal, unable to see it clearly in the dim light. He had to walk to one of the torches. When he saw the words "Under one, above the rest, Heavenly Grand General Bayarmaa" written on the golden seal, his heart almost stopped.

The guard quickly knelt on the ground and stammered, "Great Grand General Bayarmaa, please forgive my ill eyes." The other soldiers quickly followed suit, kneeling on the ground.

"You're doing your job," Sukh said, his voice calm. "So, there's nothing to forgive."

The guard scrambled up, grabbed the rope, and pulled it twice. The bamboo wind chimes rang softly in the silent night. He returned the golden seal to Sukh, and the massive city gate slowly began to open.

Sukh looked at the guards. "Soldiers, stay alert," he instructed.

"Yes, Grand General Bayarmaa," the city gate guards responded in unison.

As the city gate slowly closed behind him, Sukh rode into the city.

On the cold night, five palace guards leaned their swords against a stone fire altar, standing beside a small stone fire pit, tremblingly warming their hands.

"It's getting colder and colder," said the first guard, shivering. "What good is it for our kingdom to have four seasons? I don't think it's necessary."

"Keep your voice down," the second palace guard warned, looking around nervously. "Do you still want to keep your head? This is His Majesty's wish."

"It's unnatural for this land to snow. We're not even close to the north," the first palace guard frowned. "Last year, I heard that a woman was frozen to death."

"Really?" the third palace guard said, startled.

"Yes, her family woke up and found her frozen to death on her own bed," the first palace guard recounted. "What's the good of having four seasons if in winter we freeze to death? It's not good for our kingdom at all. You agree?" He looked at the other four who stood with him.

"Agree or disagree, that's not our decision," said the third palace guard, shaking his head. "His Majesty ordered that those who do not follow his rules are his enemies."

"Stop talking… the walls have ears and eyes," the fifth palace guard said, his voice hushed.

The five guards continued their hushed conversation until the distinct sound of galloping horseshoes came from afar. They quickly grabbed their weapons and returned to their positions by the palace gate.

When Sukh approached the palace, he saw that the main hall was brightly lit.

Sukh dismounted his horse. He walked to the ten palace guards stationed there. "I have urgent news for His Majesty," he announced.

As soon as Sukh spoke, the palace guards immediately recognized him. They were very familiar with Sukh because he was the only courtier allowed to enter the palace at any time with his weapon and armor.

"Great Grand General Bayarmaa," the guards greeted happily, a collective sigh of relief.

"Where is His Majesty?" Sukh asked, his gaze fixed on the brightly lit hall.

"Great Grand General Bayarmaa, we don't know," said one of the palace guards, a bit flustered.

"I may know where he is," Sukh mused. "It seems to be very lively tonight. What's the special occasion?"

"Great Grand General Bayarmaa, I heard that there are foreign ministers from different countries visiting," a palace guard offered.

"Great Grand General Bayarmaa, His Majesty might still be celebrating with other ministers in the royal grand hall," another palace guard added.

Sukh approached the main hall. The sounds of music and the laughter of many ministers and senior generals grew louder. Without hesitation, he rode his horse up the steps, then directly into the royal grand hall, straight down the steps onto the gleaming floor where dancing girls were still entertaining the ministers.

The once lively banquet, filled with laughter and revelry, became as silent as a grave. The soft, rhythmic chirping of night crickets outside echoed eerily in the ears of the stunned ministers.

Sukh's action was something no one in the entire Tanzang Kingdom would ever dare to do. The ministers could only stare at Sukh, speechless, because the Tenth King himself had not yet spoken.

Haneul, the Tenth King, smiled, a strange, knowing smile, as he looked at Sukh. "Oh, I didn't know you would come back," he said, rising from his throne. "I sent you fifty-six imperial decrees for you to return to the capital, but you refused to come. If you wanted to come back, you should have let me know. I would have welcomed you with a grand parade." He walked towards Sukh, his smile unwavering.

The courtiers in the hall dared not object to Sukh's brazen entrance in front of Haneul, for they knew that among all people, Haneul favored Sukh the most.

Sukh displeasingly rolled his eyes at Haneul. Haneul chuckled softly, then whispered, "Don't roll your eyes at me like this in front of so many people. Give me some face…" He raised his eyebrows at Sukh, a playful glint in his eyes. "My dear Great Grand General of Tanzang… Since you are here tonight, let's have dinner together."

Sukh stretched out the hand holding the bamboo scroll towards Haneul. "Give yourself extra guards and protection," he said, his voice serious. He looked around at the many people in the hall. "Sorry for the sudden interruption." He looked back at Haneul. "Continue to enjoy yourself. I will take my leave first." He turned his horse's head and rode out of the grand hall.

Haneul giggled as he watched Sukh's back disappear outside the stairwell. He slowly unrolled the bamboo scroll. As he read its contents, his face sank, and his smile vanished. He turned his head to look at his foreign guests, his expression now stern. "It's almost midnight; let's call it a day. Take our guests back to their quarters."

"Yes," three maids stepped forward and escorted the guests out of the grand hall.

Long after the four foreign guests left the hall, Haneul slammed the bamboo scroll heavily onto the floor in the center of the room. The pieces of bamboo, once tightly bound together by silk threads, scattered everywhere.

A sudden, tense silence fell over the hall. Haneul inhaled and exhaled angrily, his chest heaving. He walked to his throne and sat down. He looked at the remaining people in the hall, raised his wine cup, and took a long sip of the wine. The taste of the wine did not quench his thirst, nor his escalating anger, and he threw the wine cup violently across the gleaming white marble floor, where it shattered.

Minister Choi stepped forward, his voice cautious. "Your Majesty, although… Great Grand General Bayarmaa is highly respected by Your Majesty, he dared to barge into the royal hall and disrespect His Majesty in front of everyone. This is an unforgivable crime."

"Yes, that's right," another minister quickly agreed.

"I have served the court all my life," Minister Lee added, emboldened, "and I have never met anyone who disrespects His Majesty more than Great Grand General Bayarmaa. Not only that, but he also humiliated His Majesty in front of everyone, especially in front of our foreign guests."

As Haneul watched many ministers speak at the same time, the scene suddenly seemed very familiar to him. He remembered when he was forced out of the capital, how other kings had stood aside, debating whether or not to punish him. Haneul looked at the outspoken ministers, his eyes narrowed. "Oh, what do you suggest?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm. "What should we do with Great Grand General Bayarmaa?"

"I recommend that Great Grand General Bayarmaa be demoted to a private citizen," Minister Lee boldly stated.

"Grand General Bayarmaa should be punished in front of everyone and set as an example," said a court official who sided with the two ministers.

"What kind of punishment should he receive?" Haneul prompted.

"A hundred strokes on the back," Minister Choi declared. "Then he should kneel in front of the palace gate for three days, without food or water."

"So," Haneul mused, his voice dangerously soft, "we should summon Great Grand General Bayarmaa, give him a hundred back strokes in front of everyone as an example. Then, let him kneel in front of the palace gate for three days without eating or drinking water. Lastly, we should demote him to a private title?" He looked at the eager ministers standing before him. "Whoever agrees to this punishment, please come forward."

Minister Choi, Minister Lee, and ten other court officials confidently walked up to Haneul. Haneul looked at the twelve ministers, a chilling smirk spreading across his face.

Haneul knew at a glance that these ministers disliked Sukh, and what Haneul hated the most were those who harbored ill will towards Sukh. Haneul looked at the twelve ministers and said, his voice cold and commanding, "Men, come and take these twelve minions away. Give each of them a hundred strokes on their back. Drag them to kneel in front of the palace gate without food or water for three days. After the third day, exile them and their families to the farther south, beyond our border."

The other ten ministers, who had remained silent, immediately knelt and begged for mercy. "Forgive us, Your Majesty!" they pleaded.

Minister Choi, stunned by the sudden turn, bravely (or foolishly) said, "Your Majesty, ruling your ministers with bias will cause future troubles. Your Majesty has always favored the Bayarmaa family. Everyone in the court knows it, but they dare not speak up."

Haneul looked at the many ministers still standing in the hall. "Do you all agree with Minister Choi?" he asked frantically, his eyes wild with rage. "Talk! If you do!"

Knowing that Haneul had treated Sukh unconditionally over the years, no one else in the court dared to speak.

Haneul looked directly at Minister Choi. "So, favoritism is the reason you sent your two daughters into the palace?" He stood up, his gaze sweeping over the twelve condemned individuals. "Now, let me ask you…" His cold eyes swept over the twelve people. "Where were you when I was kicked out of the capital to fend for myself?"

The twelve individuals dared not speak, nor did they dare to look up at Haneul.

"Where were you when I set out to conquer this land?!" Haneul roared, his voice filling the vast hall.

At this time, the maids and servants in the royal grand hall had already instinctively knelt on the ground. Everyone in the hall knew that once Haneul got angry, it was difficult for anyone to calm him down.

"Where were you when I was injured and on the verge of death?" He grabbed Minister Choi by the collar, his grip iron-hard. "If none of you can answer these questions, then you don't deserve my favor!" He roughly shoved Minister Choi back. "Sukh is not my downfall, but a greedy minister like you is my downfall!" As guards entered the hall, Haneul began to walk towards his throne.

Suddenly, Haneul stopped, turned, and looked at the ministers again, a chilling smirk returning to his face. "I changed my mind…" He announced. "Behead them tomorrow by noon and use them as an example for those who try to cause trouble in my court. Let every court official know that we will not tolerate corruption in our court as long as we are still the King of Tanzang!"