A Toy Boat

As the ninth month of the Aranese invasion unfolded, the balance of power shifted in favor of the Chiongsun army. Prince Young-Sik commanded the naval fleet to confront the enemy ships, hindering their supply and reinforcement operations. A sailor sprinted to the command deck of the Chiongsun flagship, urgency in his every step as he reported to the general. "General, enemy vessels are approaching on the starboard side!"

General Ka quickly made his way to the deck and used his spyglass to witness the threat firsthand. Looking up at the direction the flag is blown by the wind, he issued his orders "The wind is in our favor! Signal the Yuryeong and the Hwansang, prepare for ramming speed!" The urgency in his tone was clear.

The moment the soldier received his orders, he bolted from the deck, roaring, "Set the sails!" to the sailors, who swiftly released the sails into the wind. He then opened a panel, exposing a row of metal tubes, and shouted into one of them "Ramming speed!"

These tubes connected to the lower decks, where the oarsmen were poised for action. Responding to the call, they quickly positioned themselves, unleashing the colossal oars and rowing vigorously to gather speed.

Meanwhile, another soldier sprinted to the stern of the ship, signaling with flags to the other two vessels to prepare for ramming speed. The ships surged forward, their prow adorned with fearsome metal spikes, hurtling toward the Aranese fleet with deadly intent.

The Aranese captain, his eyes fixed on the approaching Chiongsun warships, issued a Frantic command: "Hard to port! Hard to port!" He shouted as he steered his crew away from disaster.

"Brace for impact!" General Ka ordered. He then held to the rails to steady and support himself.

The Chiongsun vessels collided with merciless force, obliterating the Aranese ships as if they were mere toys. The reinforced hulls of the Chiongsun ships proved to be a devastating adversary, leaving the Aranese fleet in utter ruin.

The Chiongsun sailors cheered as they watched the battered ships get swallowed by the sea. General Ka let out a deep breath. He thought back to four months ago to a meeting with Prince Young-Sik and the other officials.

"What purpose do they have in transporting gold and silver to Chiongsun?" Captain Gi asked, seeking a thread to unravel the mystery.

The prince, positioned at the head of the table, fell into deep contemplation. General Ka interjected, "Is it not clear? They must have an ally within Chiongsun, trading supplies for these metals!" He then addressed the prince directly, "Your Highness, we must bring this conflict to a swift conclusion before this traitor sells our nation!"

"And how do we achieve that? We must seize control of the seas, cutting off their ability to transport troops and resources," another general added. The atmosphere thickened with tension as officials began to hurl suggestions at one another.

"Crowned Prince Seo-Joon once taught me a game in my youth," the prince stated calmly. Instantly, the room fell into a profound silence, so still that one could hear a pin drop within the confines of the tent.

They settled back, eyes fixed on the prince, eager for him to carry on with his story. "Prince Seo-Joon would fashion toy boats from thick tree barks. We would engage in a game called Sink the Ship. King Man-Ju tied a string to the back of his boat, twisting a small piece of wood. When he set his boat afloat, the wood would spin wildly as the string unwound, and that little toy would dash across the water. He thought he had the upper hand as his boat crashed into mine, but both would ultimately splinter and sink beneath the waves."

Young-Sik continued, "Yet, Prince Seo-Joon's vessel? It was a different beast altogether, fast, sturdy, and unsinkable. He utilized the same propeller as King Man-Ju but reinforced his craft with two pieces of tree bark. His boat would charge into ours, leaving nothing but wreckage in its wake."

The prince leaned forward; his gaze fixed on General Ka. "General, can we fortify our ships to transform them into formidable battering rams?"

General Ka reclined in his chair; the weight of his naval wisdom evident in his demeanor. After a moment of contemplation, he replied, "In theory, Your Highness, we can strengthen the hull, reinforce the waterline with additional timbers, and affix a battering ram-like structure at the bow, perhaps with iron to withstand the force of impact."

He pounded his fist on the table, emphasizing his point. "Yet, we must consider the trade-off; enhancing our vessels will add more weight and compromise speed. With sails alone, we may struggle to reach the necessary velocity for a successful ram."

"Introduce a propeller!" Young-Sik interjected eagerly. "Could we not boost our speed with the help of oarsmen?"

General Ka's eyes sparkled with excitement as he elaborated, "We could redesign the lower deck to accommodate two levels, allowing the oarsmen to row effectively."

"Make it happen!" commanded Prince Young-Sik, a determined smile on his face. "General Yang, prepare to engage the enemy the moment they set foot on our shores. Captain Gi, your unit will be tasked with eliminating any stragglers."

"I shall assume command of the remnants of the late General Kuk's legion and the corridor guards, we will engage and drive the enemy back to the western coast " declared Prince Young-Sik, his voice resolute. He surveyed the faces in the command tent, steely determination in his gaze. "You all have your orders, let's bring this war to a close!"

"General Ka!" a sailor called out, breaking the general's focus as he surveyed the wreckage, poised to capture any survivors.

"What is it?" the general inquired, his gaze unwavering.

"A vessel has slipped through our grasp, sir. It appears to be damaged and is coming to shore. Should we give chase?" the soldier proposed.

"No, Our orders dictate that we hold the line. General Yang will handle the situation," the General replied firmly.

As the battered ship touched land and its crew scrambled for safety, General Yang and his troops sprang into action, confronting the enemy with fierce resolve. The prince's strategies proved invaluable to the Chiongsun forces. The Aranese troops teetered on the brink of collapse, and all that Prince Young-Sik required was the decisive blow. That blow arrived with vital intelligence delivered by Captain Gi. "Your Highness, one of our scouts has uncovered crucial information!" the captain exclaimed, rushing into the command tent.

Back in the capital, Jin-Ri walks Yeng to the palace gates "Hey thanks for visiting me" she told her friend

"You haven't been in the Cherry Blossom for a while now, and even Lady Hu is worrying about you" Yeng replied, indicating that her presence is being missed.

"Send my apologies to Lady Hu, I've been rather busy ever since I was transferred to the King's entourage" Jin-Ri explained

Yeng furrowed her brows "I thought you were the prince's court maiden" she exclaimed bothered by the fact she is now part of the King's court maidens

"I don't know, but he ordered that I be part of his entourage, who am I to say no...he is the King" Jin-Ri shrugged her shoulders.

Yeng's lips pouted "I don't like it, I'm getting the 'this is not good vibes' with your current assignment"

Jin-Ri scoffed "I'm just an entourage, what harm will that bring? Anyways I need to get back now" She hugged her friend "You should visit me often" she reminded her

Yeng waves goodbye "Don't worry I will" She then heads back to the Cherry Blossom

Jin-Ri happily skips back to her station, unaware of a clandestine conflict simmering within the palace walls as the newly crowned Queen Ji-Hye casts a venomous glance at her. "Your Majesty, does that insignificant court maiden trouble you?" her lady-in-waiting inquired.

"It is a grave insult to me that my husband chooses to squander his time with a mere servant instead of his queen," Queen Ji-Hye retorted with disdain.

"Fear not, Your Majesty; I shall handle her personally," the lady-in-waiting assured the Queen with unwavering resolve.

That afternoon, Jin-Ri had just finished her duties, when the Queen's lady-in-waiting approached her. "Court maiden Hong" she called out to her

Jin-Ri stopped and bowed to the elderly lady "Yes ma'am" she courteously asked

"Got to the Queen's residence and into her room, fetch her dragon hairpin" The lady-in-waiting ordered the younger court maiden

Jin-Ri answered back protesting "But...I am not the Queen's court maiden and besides I don't have the authority to enter the Queen's residence"

The elder Lady-in-waiting smacked Jin-Ri on the forehead "You little...making excuses. Here take my plaque and show it in case someone stops you"

Rubbing her forehead, Jin-Ri took the plaque, turning around she scoffed "If you weren't that ancient, I would strangle you till you pass out"

"What was that?" The elder Lady-in-waiting shouted

"Nothing!" Jin-Ri shouted back as she ran away from the old lady, laughing as she did. She was able to retrieve what was asked of her and the entire day went on uneventfully.

The next morning, Jin-Ri was racing to the King's residence, already running late. She was abruptly stopped by two palace guards. "Hong Jin-Ri?" one guard inquired sharply.

"Yes?" Jin-Ri answered casually, thinking it was just a standard identity check. She reached into her pockets to pull out her plaque, but the guards halted her.

"No need for that," the second guard said coldly. "You're required to accompany us to the security office for interrogation."

"Int-interrogation? Why?" A look of shock and disbelief spread across her face as she tried to grasp what was happening.

The two guards seized Jin-Ri by her arms, ready to take her into custody. "What is the meaning of this?" the King demanded from out of nowhere. Man-Ju searched for the court maiden after growing impatient with her absence.

The guards bowed before the King. "Your Highness, we are apprehending her on the Queen's orders."

"On what grounds?" the King questioned, his tone dripping with menace.

"Theft, Your Highness! The Queen's cherished necklace vanished from her chamber yesterday, and according to the Queen's maidens, she was the last to enter before it disappeared," one guard clarified.

"I swear, I was there because the Queen's lady-in-waiting instructed me to retrieve the dragon hairpin for her Majesty!" Jin-Ri pleaded, her voice trembling as she sought the crowd's sympathy.

"That's preposterous! Release her immediately!" the King ordered; his fury aimed at the accusers of Jin-Ri.

"Delay that order!" the Queen interrupted, arriving just as the King was about to grant Jin-Ri her freedom.

"How dare you defy my command?" the King shouted at the Queen.

"Your Highness, do not even think about trying to save a criminal," Queen Ji-Hye reminded King Man-Ju. "You must remember our laws: guilty until proven innocent! By all definitions, she is a criminal, and as King, you cannot afford to be seen with someone like her." The Queen pressed on, "So, what will you decide, Your Highness?"

King Man-Ju's jaw tightened, and his fists were white-knuckled. He turned to Jin-Ri, whose eyes begged him to see her innocence. With a heavy heart, he finally commanded, "Take her to the security office."

Jin-Ri struggled a bit, but eventually, she relented when she saw King Man-Ju gesturing for her to cooperate. She just nodded to King Man-Ju when they walked past him.

"What has she done to you?" The King asked Queen Ji-Hye