"My queen. I need to tell you something, please. It's urgent." Areum, the head of the queen's court ladies, said.
She had entered the room immediately after the king and his ministers left.
"The queen is too tired, and whatever it is that you want to tell her can wait. Let her go and rest first. You can talk to her when she wakes up." The queen dowager advised.
From her maid's facial expressions, the queen herself could tell that it really might be an urgent and important message. Areum isn't one to disturb her with unnecessary things knowing how tired she was."
The sleep-deprived queen therefore beckoned her to come over to where she sat by her son's bed.
"What is it? Tell me." She asked.
The queen dowager gave them some curious looks as Areum leaned down into the queen's right ear and whispered something to her.
"Really? Are you serious, Areum a?"
Areum only nodded in response. She didn't want the queen dowager to hear any part of their conversation.
"Um... Daebi Mama (queen mother), I'd like to leave for my quarters, please."
She then turned to the doctor, "Have someone call me as soon as any of them wake up."
"Yes, my queen." The physician replied.
"Areum a, come with me." The queen said and exited from the room, with her court lady following behind.
***
"Bring out the criminal!" The king commanded once they were at the tribunal, and immediately, Lee Minsoo and his family, together with the other servant, were brought over.
Minsoo's father was very worried after having heard the news of the crown prince's state. He doubted that the king would let his family go free just because he was close to his older brother.
His silent prayer was that his only daughter, Lee Minseo, should not be made to face any punishment. She was too delicate for the harsh conditions of the prisons.
"They're all here, Your Majesty." The chief-in-command said after all six people were brought out and bound to the chairs.
"Good. Now hear my judgement."
The interrogation grounds became dead silent.
All ears stayed alert.
Well, with the exception of Minsu, who still hasn't registered anything that was going on and only wished to be sent back home.
That is all he wanted as of this moment.
The king was hurt and in anguish, and so he needed to punish someone. It didn't matter whether what happened was intentional or not. His sons are suffering, and someone needs to pay for that.
"After careful deliberations and taking into account the witnesses statements, I have come to a conclusion on this matter. Miss Lee Minsoo is found guilty of all charges brought against her.
Her sentence is death by poisoning at the execution square tomorrow during the horse hours (11:00am - 13:00pm). No..."
"Jeon-ha (Your Majesty)!"
The king got interrupted.
But when he and the ministers turned to see which audacious person dared to interrupt him at this crucial moment, they were very surprised to see who it was.
"My queen. What are you doing here? Are the boys awake now? You could've sent someone instead." The king said.
He was quite surprised that she had come there herself, which is highly inappropriate unless requested to or permitted.
"Jeon-ha!" The queen called out and then got down on her four limbs. "I request an audience with you, please. Hear me out first before you give your final judgement, my king."
The king helped her up. "Get up from the ground first."
He and his queen were ushered into the office of the head of investigations to have their private talk.
The queen stole some glances at the white-haired teenager as they left for the office. Extreme guilt and sadness gripped at her heart as she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.
"Now what is it that you want to speak to me about, my queen?"
The queen shook her head and replied. "Um... I... I just thought that you shouldn't be harsh with your punishment."
"Why? Is there something you know that I do not?"
"No. But I heard that he was being framed. With the crown prince's condition, I just fear that we might lose him if we executed an innocent soul for this, my king. Hm?"
The king observed her as she spoke. He was quiet for a while after she was done before he spoke. "Do you know the girl? Why are you defending a criminal when our kids have been harmed? Are you not concerned for them?"
The queen was flustered. "What? Why? Why would you think that, my king? I am only pleading on his behalf because I heard that he was innocent and I didn't want the spirits taking my son who is at death's door away because of that.
My only hope in doing this is so that the gods will have pity on the crown prince and heal him. Also, don't forget that having him... um... sorry... her executed will affect the prime minister also. His rivals will not leave the matter alone. That's all, your Majesty."
"Are you willing to accept that our sons will not get justice for the crime committed against them?" He asked.
"No, your money. I just believe that this whole thing was just an accident and, as such, do not want to prosecute anyone. This wouldn't have happened if the princes had not sneaked out as they were told not to."
"Alright, I've heard you."
"So... will you let him... her go?"
"I'll let her live, but she can't be completely free even if we believe that she's innocent. Someone has to be punished for this at least."
"Oh, okay. Thank you. Thank you for your benevolence, my king."
"It's okay. Now go and rest. You must be very tired from taking care of our sons." The king said and called for court lady Areum, whom the queen had come there with, to take her back to her palace.
"Hmmm." The king sighed in resignation as he moved to Lee Minsoo's side once again.
He looked at the prime minister for a brief moment, as he thought of what judgement will not affect his friend and will also be just enough for the accused.
He decided to amend his punishment as the queen had suggested. Just by the fact that his sons were only victims of circumstances and not targeted. Also, if he judges the girl with a serious charge, this will affect the prime minister as well.
"This is my final judgement." He said.
"As the main catalyst in the poisoning of my two sons and that of the late Miss Youngmi, I hereby sentence you, Lee Minsoo, to the maximum period of twenty years in prison at Hanseong women's prison in the Gyeonggido province.
Your sentence is subject to a review after serving time for at least one-third of your stipulated jail time sentence. The latter ruling will be solely based on the recommendations and decisions of your jail handlers.
Also, you are to receive twenty lashes before you start serving your sentence."
The exhausted king then turned to his ministers and said. "All of you can go back to your various offices. Today's assembly is finally over."
"Yes, your Majesty." The ministers chorused but did not leave first due to courtesy.
He turned and headed back to the Eastern Palace to go and check on his sons without even waiting for the guards to carry out the lashings and to send Lee Minsoo away from the capital city to the Gyeonggido province as declared.