In the heart of the capital of Huangloong, everyone is gathered around a man hung on a pole.
With faces full of disdain, all were throwing rocks at the man's face. Some, however, carried a face full of guilt and eyes filled with grief. Even so, they were not holding back as they would have been held in the same position if they had done so.
The man watched with eyes full of pure rage against those who had betrayed him. They were people with whom he grew up; they were with him all his life and shared his reason for the revolt against the imperial law. Now, the same people were against him.
His mouth was oozing blood as his tongue no longer remained there, and bruises covered his whole body after being struck with stones for hours; however, the place he was hurting the most was his heart.
Angry as he was, heartbroken as he was, those feelings started to calm down, and reasoning started to strike him.
For his life, he could not understand why things turned out the way they did. He was a scholar, so he knew more than most. He was on the right, on the side of justice. He shared the sentiments of others like him and also convinced others of the injustice the Nobles were partaking in under the name of imperial law. So, why was he the one suffering?
The crowd suddenly came to a stop. A man surrounded by a few soldiers adorned with the silk of the highest stood in front of Do-Hyun. As the man took out a scroll, everyone bowed down. Two of the soldiers pulled Do-Hyun down from the pole and made him bow until his forehead felt the chill from the bare ground.
"Do-Hyun, scholar serving under the ministry of finance, for the crime of revolting against the government by enticing innocent civilians to do the same, you are sentenced to death by 1.chēliè."
The man slowly put away the scroll and watched as the soldiers started to tie Do-Hyun's head and limbs to each of the four chariots, thinking to himself, "If only you kept your thoughts to yourself... I am afraid I will never have another friend like you."
He was the man who relayed the plans of Do-Hyun to his father, the secretary of the Ministry of Justice. But it was not because of greed but of fear that Lee Hyun-mok, with a heavy heart, proceeded to betray Do-Hyun; otherwise, his father would be the one hung on the pole.
Lee Hyun-mok, barely holding back his tears, raised his hand, looking at his dear friend whose eyes were now devoid of emotion. He then brought down his hands, signaling the soldiers to proceed.
Struck by the whip, the horses started to run in their respective direction, all except one.
While being torn apart, Do-Hyun started to feel unimaginable pain however, a thought was still on his mind.
Why?
As his limbs were starting to tear apart, Lee Hyun-mok gave the signal for the last horse to proceed.
Not being able to witness the scene in front of him, he turned his face away, but he could not escape the horrible scream let out by Do-Hyun as his head was getting torn from his body.
Hearing the voice that called upon his name full of endearment let out such sounds Lee Hyun-mok could no longer hold back his tears.
Feeling overwhelmed by the otherworldly pain, Do-Hyun finally finds his answer.
STRENGTH!
The final horse ran with all its might, and Do-Hyun's Head was incapacitated. Due to the sudden release of the rope, Do-Hyun's head flew high and headed toward Lee Hyun-mok.
Instinctively, he caught it but was left horrified seeing his beloved friend's decapitated head with empty eyes, mouth wide open, and a terrified face.
His friend was no more.
**********
Gasping for air, Ji-Hyeon wakes with his back cold with sweat.
"Remembering how I died, that is a nice way to start my day.", Scoffing at the irony, Ji-Hyeon heads out of his room when he is greeted by his now mother is serving him food.
"Happy birthday, my little treasure! I can't believe you are already this old, It feels like just yesterday you couldn't even talk. Come, I have made your favorites today!"
Seeing the blisters in her hands from scrubbing others' dirty, often filthy clothes serve him meat that is worth more than a week of her earnings. He feels sorry for his mother and glad, too, for being fortunate enough to be born as her son.
He thinks about asking her why she had to spend so much for just a birthday but holds back as she would not listen to him anyway.
Being reminded of his past just moments ago, tears cover his eyes, "Thank you, mother…. For everything."
"Ahh, my son is soo touched that he is crying. How can a crybaby like you go to the blacksmith's? You are at an age where you should be playing with your friends. I am saving so I can send you to school too so you don't have to go there." He could hear how much concern she had just from her tone.
In a playful tone, he asks, "Aren't you the one who says I am special? How can someone as special as me play with little children?"
" As for a school, there is nothing they can teach me there besides those who go to school have both parents to pay for their expenses and even then they can barely cover for everything so how can I let you carry such a burden yourself? If only that scum hadn't left you…"
"Don't talk about your father that way!! Is that how I raised you?! YOU! YOU! Ahh! I don't know if I should thank the heavens or curse for giving you that sharp tongue!"
Finishing his food, he puts on his shoes to head out. "Thank you for the food. I will head out now otherwise, I might get fired on the first day. And I have no father; you are all I have, and you are enough, Mother."
Her son's words touched her heart; she calmed herself, "All right, all right, but don't push yourself okay you seem to forget that you are just a child and if Huo-Liang makes you work too much tell me okay I will deal with him. Now come give your mother a hug…"
A bit reluctant, he goes along with his mother's wishes.
Bidding his mother farewell, Ji Hyeon heads toward the smithy with haste as he wants to leave a good impression on Huo-Liang.
He reaches the smithy when a voice calls his name, "Oh, you're early, good, good at least you have some manners. Follow me."
"Yes, sir!"
"You are too small to pick up a hammer, so just bring the tools I ask for and help Seo Seok-jin in the shop, too."
"Understood, sir!"
Huo-Liang proceeds to tell Ji-Hyeon the names of all the tools.
Ji-Hyeon gives it his all even for the most menial task as he knows how fortunate he is to be hired as an apprentice under Huo-Liang since Huo-Liang didn't even need one to begin with for such menial tasks, and a kid of Ji-Hyeon's age could not do much anyway.
He was aware of the reason for this since he had noticed long ago that Huo-Liang liked his mother; that is why he felt sorry for Huo-Liang since his mother was still waiting for his father, who had abandoned her.
The sky starts to turn red. "Okay, that is it for today, kid. Go home. Here, this is for today 3 nyang. Don't spend it all on food or toys, okay? Save up so you can help your mother even by a little bit. Also…"
Scratching the back of his head with his face turned red, he hands Ji-Hyeon the knife he made today, "Give this to Mei Lan. It's quite sharp so tell her to be careful with it. Ah, tell her I gave it to you because you did a great job today, okay?"
Seeing the symbol of a plum orchid, Ji-Hyeon scoffs, You have carved the symbol of my mother's name and say that you are giving it to me because I did a good job.
Grabbing the knife embroidered with such detail and dedication, one could almost feel love oozing out of it. Ji-Hyeon looks up to Huo-Liang with eyes full of pity but also grief, grief for what could have been but will never be.
If only… if only you were a bit earlier, you would have filled my mother's life with so much joy I wouldn't mind not being born.
Breathing in, "Understood, sir! Thank you for your compliment for my minor work!"
Smiling at the kid, Huo-Liang bids him farewell.
Looking at the little nyang he earned, Ji-Hyeon reconsiders his choice of hiding his academic prowess but stops himself since a child too poor to afford an education could not start calligraphy.
It's all right. Just a few more years, and then I can make an excuse about learning it from signs around the village, which is still impossible but more believable. After all, I can't let her suffer futher for my sake.
On his way home, he sees the village's inn packed with people. Seeing so many new people, Ji-Hyun takes a closer look and notices all of them wearing the same dark blue clothes with a symbol of a sword with blanched scales for the hilt.
Seeing each of them carrying swords with them, he concludes they must be from a martial sect or something.