Episode 190. Secret Jail
‘Hmm… I don’t think this is the place…’
A type of prison where disciples who committed sins were imprisoned.
This was the place Eunhwadam guided us.
When he first took over as the head of Seolmundang, he was given the pretext of identifying prison cells and major criminals… but
the disciple of Gyowoongdang, who was playing the role of head prison guard, only tilted his head.
Well, anyway, it looks like power is scary.
He willingly revealed the prison to avoid being disrespectful to the new head of the family.
Of course, it was located in a secluded area… but it was still at a level that Cheonseonggung disciples could easily recognize.
From Han Ibi’s point of view, the disciples who are being held are accused of extremely minor crimes.
Well, it was at the level of things such as stealing a small amount of money from a fellow student or learning advanced martial arts that should not be learned.
Even if I washed my eyes and looked for anyone who could truly be a threat, I couldn’t find them.
What is surprising, however, is that even though it is a private prison, it is organized at a government level.
I was able to guess how much of a small dictatorship Cheonseong Palace was acting like.
Han Ibi said to Eun Hwa Dam who was tired.
“Isn’t there perhaps another prison?”
Eunhwadam said with a slightly annoyed face.
“well. I’ve never heard of anything like that while I’ve been here. “But why are you so interested in prison?”
Then Han Ibi spoke with as shameless a face as possible.
“When you take on an important position, you must always clearly analyze threats. “Is there anyone who could cause harm to Cheonseong Palace right now?”
Eunhwadam heard those words and said with wide eyes.
“But they are all already captured.”
“That…”
Han Ibi cleared her throat for a moment and then continued.
“… Adventure. Human nature does not change easily. That’s why the recidivism rate is so high.”
“Jae… what?”
“There is such a thing. Now… let’s stop talking about this dark story…”
Han Ibi continued while lightly rubbing her palms.
“There are quite a few people like you and the palace lord here in Cheonseong Palace.”
Eunhwadam nodded and said.
“That is natural given the nature of its location in the western region. “But I’m no different from Commissioner Han, just the appearance is a little different.”
Then Han Ibi waved her hand and said.
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
I’m not a racist.
Ebi Han added.
“I just asked because I was curious. But… are there people leaving Cheonseong Palace?”
“You mean people going out?”
“So… quitting…”
Eunhwadam shook his head.
“no. There are often cases of excommunication… but it is difficult to imagine quitting in the first place.”
“why?”
“Because the palace lord won’t leave it alone.”
“good. admit. So… was there anyone who was recently excommunicated or something?”
“I’m a layman, so I don’t know much about such things.”
“Are there no missing people or anything like that?”
Then Eunhwadam made an ‘Ah’ sound and said.
“Now that I think about it, I heard that one of the vice-chancellors disappeared… But why do you keep asking me strange questions?”
Han Ibi said, slightly surprised.
“You’re doing it to adapt. Adapt. Ahaha.”
Eunhwadam tilted his head and said.
“For those of you who are trying to adapt… But you haven’t even asked what Seolmundang does?”
Oops.
* * *
A few days passed like that.
The secret prison of Cheonseong Palace.
This place was on a completely different level from the places where disciples who committed misdemeanors were imprisoned.
A place mainly used to eliminate political opponents who pose a threat to the well-being of the faction, punish traitors, or are captured.
As a result, there were various torture chambers as well as solitary cells with a bizarre structure that made it impossible to stand up or sit down. It
was also a place where professionally trained torture technicians from Cheonseonggung stayed.
It is a place that well reflects Cheonseong Palace’s tendency to make every effort to maintain confidentiality.
This secret prison was created by digging out the basement behind the shrine where the Ok family ancestors are enshrined.
Part of a camouflage strategy to catch everyone off guard.
In general, there was a tendency to think of shrines as sacred.
Anyway, Seo Man-yoon, who was watching the guard’s work that day, suddenly yawned for a long time.
Late at night.
Currently, only three people are imprisoned in a secret prison.
So not only was work not busy, but there were no cases where interrogations were conducted at night unless it was really urgent.
However, dozing off is prohibited.
If you were caught dozing off, you had to prepare for terrible punishment.
“I just can’t do it.”
He got up from the chair, yawned, and stretched for a long time.
“Aham. Time flies by so quickly during the day… but why does time go by so quickly at night? “Oh my, it’s boring.”
It was then.
A voice came from outside the iron gate.
“Oh! “Are you here?”
At that moment, Seo Man-yoon was nervous and had no choice but to stand upright.
‘Is the Home Office conducting an inspection?’
It was like that.
Occasionally, the Minister of Internal Affairs would visit unexpectedly to check work discipline.
It will probably be like that today too.
‘As expected, I did well not to doze off.’
He immediately raised his spear and took a guard stance.
I’m sorry.
The iron door was opening with a loud noise.
And the scene that appeared there almost made Seo Man-yoon’s eyes pop out.
“Huh!”
He was so shocked that he stammered.
“Gu Gu Palace Lord!”
Yes.
Emperor Okta nodded his head lightly and said.
“Is there anything wrong?”
Seo Man-yoon straightened up and said.
“yes! “Nothing is wrong.”
Seo Man-yoon wanted to ask, ‘What are you doing at this time?’, but his mouth couldn’t open and he was stuck in place like ice.
Emperor Oktae said.
“What about the prisoners?”
Seo Man-yoon said.
“It’s still the same. “They all seem to have made a promise to each other, and they are as tough as beef tendons.”
“I see…”
Princess Cheonseong seemed to think about something for a moment and then said.
“I’ll have to check it out myself.”
“yes?”
“Why are you doing that?”
“Oh no. “I just thought it was unexpected for a moment because he left after interrogation in the morning.”
Then Emperor Ok Tae was silent for a while.
And then… Ok Taeje gets angry again.
“How dare you criticize the palace lord’s words!”
Then Seo Man-yoon bowed his head in surprise.
“no. Lord of the palace. “Is that possible?”
He unlocked the thick iron gate and guided the Lord of Cheonseong Palace.
Emperor Ok Tae walked slowly after him.
A completely dark hallway.
Seo Man-yoon came inside and shouted loudly.
“The palace lord has arrived, so wake up!”
Then he asked Emperor Oktae.
“Palace lord. Would you like to proceed with the interrogation?”
Emperor Okta shook his head and said.
“no. “For now, we’ll just take a look.”
“yes. Lord of the palace.”
The room where the prisoners were held was made of thick stone walls.
A bleak structure where not even a single light can enter.
There were iron bars embedded in the small holes through which the movements of the prisoners could be seen… It
was literally playing a role in blocking prison escapes at the source.
Emperor Okta bent down slightly and looked through the hole into the first stone chamber.
There was a man curled up like a shrimp.
There were dried, darkened blood stains here and there on the tattered clothes he wore.
These must all be traces of torture.
At that time, Seo Man-yoon shouted loudly.
“Why can’t I get up quickly! “You lazy pig!”
Then, the body of the man who was lying curled up wriggled, and then he got up and sat up.
Revealed beneath his scattered hair, he had the typical appearance of a person of color.
At that moment, Emperor Ok Tae’s eyes sparkled.
The man was silently looking down at the floor.
Emperor Oktae, who had been watching him silently for a moment, turned without saying a word and took a step forward.
Then Seo Man-yoon hurriedly guided him to the next stone room.
Oktaeje lowers his head again and looks inside.
Surprisingly, there was a man inside, sitting with his back straight and having a fortune-telling breakfast.
However, the expression on Taeje Ok’s face as he looked at him was unusual.
At that moment, Seo Man-yoon, who was next to me, spoke.
“That’s right. Lord of the palace. He is a very terrible guy. “The lord of the palace has closed the danjeon, so it is impossible to carry out any work, but we are doing this all night long.”
Emperor Okta heard those words and muttered.
“If you’re the main character, that’s it…”
Seo Man-yoon quickly said.
“yes? “I’m sorry, but I didn’t hear you properly.”
“no. “There is such a thing.”
Then he turned around again.
Seo Man-yoon follows behind and quickly guides the way.
Then Emperor Oktae asked.
“How many people were there in total?”
Then Seo Man-yoon answered, wondering if he couldn’t remember just three people.
“There are three.”
“Hmm. right. “I see.”
Emperor Okta nodded and prepared to look into the room.
At that time, Seo Man-yoon spoke with an even more incomprehensible expression.
“Would you like to see that room too?”
“huh? “Is there any reason why I shouldn’t see it?”
“No… that’s not true… but you haven’t looked at me for a long time…”
At that moment, Emperor Ok Tae-je said, his expression completely changing.
“Looks like work is easy these days. huh? “You keep adding tail to the princess’s words.”
Then Seo Man-yoon’s face turned white and he spoke.
“no. “Is that possible?”
Emperor Ok-tae snorted ‘Hmph’ and threatened again, then lowered his head again and looked into the room.
But…
there was an unbelievable scene unfolding inside.
Yes.
That place is literally Gyu-su’s room in Yeo-yeom’s house.
It looked as if the woman’s room had been ripped out and put back together.
And there was a woman sitting inside, dressed neatly…
She must have heard the presence in advance and was sitting there, looking toward the hole through which Emperor Ok Tae looked.
But those eyes.
The aura of hatred and resentment in those eyes was so deep that it was indescribable.
said the woman.
“What kind of wind brought you here at night?”
Ok Taeje remained silent.
Then the woman slowly shook her head and continued speaking.
“Why are you torturing me like this instead of killing me? “I… I…”
At that moment, tears were falling from the woman’s eyes.
She said without wiping away any tears.
“Just like you killed Cheonrang with a single sword… kill me too. “I also don’t want to live in a world without Cheonrang anymore.”
She looked like she was holding back the urge to wail right now.
I could feel the determination in my clenched molars.
And the hand I found.
Her hands were tied tightly with rope.
It must have been to prevent self-harm or suicide.
Now that I think about it, it seemed like the woman’s room had been ripped out and put back together… but
all dangerous items that could be used for other purposes, such as toilet bowls and combs, had been removed.
Suddenly she stood up.
It seemed like his feet weren’t tied.
“You damn Okga bastard! Kill me right now! “Why are you killing other kites so well that you leave me alone like this?”
But at that moment.
She suddenly rushed towards the door.
Judging from his posture, it looked like he was about to commit suicide by hitting his head.
Emperor Okta immediately stuck his hand into the hole…
and hit her on the main acupuncture point, causing a point.
Truly lightning-quick skill.
The woman who had been stabbed fell to the floor with a thud.
Tears like chicken shit were still pouring out of her eyes.
The woman screamed wildly in agony.
Emperor Ok Tae looked at that and spoke softly.
“Calm down.”
The woman shouted again.
“Are you trying to appease me by coming back after a month? “I will never change my mind!”
Emperor Ok Taeje was still just keeping his eyes wide open.
Seo Man-yoon, who was watching the scene with a strange expression, said.
“Palace lord?”
Emperor Okta turned his head.
“why?”
“Do you mind…do you remember my name?”
(Continued in the next part)
