CHAPTER 16

"Rise".

"Your majesty the landlord is lying.....", said the bureaucrat.

The king rested on the chair.

"Eun Wook are you sure about this?", asked Park Saeju.

"Yes.... I was the one who helped these children 9 years ago", said Wook.

Yoon looked at the man.

"What do you mean?", asked the king.

"Your majesty.... 9 years ago I met with this kid in front of Kisaeng house. His sister, Ms Hani was being thrown to Kisaeng house. Then I helped him and sorted everything out with this landlord. I even have the report regarding that", said Wook and gave the report to internal affairs minister, Park Saeju. He read the report carefully.

"Your majesty he's saying right", said Saeju giving back the doc to Wook.

"How dare you to lie in this court. Take back his title of being a landlord and make him work in the mines", ordered the king.

"Your majesty.....majesty", pleaded the landlord but he was dragged away by the guards.

"Your majesty please don't let Yoon Shik to be out of Sungkyunwan. It's all because of me....so just punish me", said his father.

Sam Sun was smiling seeing this.

"Father no...", mumbled Yoon.

"Your majesty I married her mother so that the children won't be...."

Sunwo, Yeong and Sung Tae came there too. Their fathers saw them. 

"Don't lie father", shouted Yoon with teary eyes.

"Your majesty I'm not lying. I always loved her so when she came here I married her so that the children will never feel alone. Just punish me.....it has nothing to do with my children Yoon Shik and Hani. I did this so that I can get a family which I never had....", said father pleading with king.

Eunho was crying seeing all this and her heart was more broken seeing Yoon Shik crying.

"Your majesty, Yoon Shik has nothing to do with this. I've a proof regarding this...", said Yeong.

"Yeong", called his father.

"Yoon isn't born Sangmin but his mother married Mr Gwang Jung who's a Sangmin so is Yoon. Please take back your order", said Jeong.

"Indeed your son has inherited your qualities", said the king looking at Jangeum.

"But justice has to do.... Okay I know Kim Yoon Shik qualified this exam with his abilities so I will not throw him out. But since his father did the crime of forging docs and he also confirmed this so I'll give him death penalty so that in future no one will dare to do this", said the king and walked away.

Yoon couldn't believe his ears. He ran behind his father who was being taken away by the guards towards the jail. He reached the jail's entrance and held his father hand. 

"Father why did you lie? Just tell the truth....I get now why a low class like me should never thought of being a scholar. Father I'll do other works....just tell them the truth...", said Yoon with pleading eyes full of tears.

"Yoon Shik your mother wanted this. Did you forget her last words? I'm already old....why not to die for a good cause? Being your father was so proud moment for me. Take care of Hani as your mother told. When I'll meet Yoona I'll tell her that  his son is the Scholar.....son one more thing I loved these clothes you gifted me that day", said Gwang. He was going to say more when guards dragged him....Yoon was holding his father's hand but a guard hit him hard on the head and he fell there, losing conscious.

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Yoon opened his eyes and saw he was on a fluffy bed. He looked around and saw Eunho beside her bed, Hani and others. He remembered that he was hit.

"Father", murmured Yoon and got up...."Afghan", screamed Yoon touching his head.

"Oppa don't..", said Hani.

"Father...where is he?", asked Yoon looking at her and then his friends.

"He will be hanged in an hour", said Yeong.

He immediately got up from the bed and said, "I'm going to palace....Take care of Hani".

"Oppa"

"Hani don't stop me", said Yoon and stepped ahead when Eunho held his hand...."do you think king will change his decision?"

He jerked her hand when Yeong held his hand...."Yeong Don't".

"Yoon we can't do anything now. It will be best not to go there", said Yeong.

"Yeong you shouldn't has interfered there....", said Yoon, jerked his hand off and walked out from there.

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"You can't be allowed to meet the king", said the palace guard.

"Please....let me in", said Yoon.

The guards refused and going to hit him when Lee Eunshi came there and seeing him they stopped.

"Why are you here?", asked Lee.

"I want to meet the king", said Yoon.

"Hhah...do you think it's that easy to meet him?", said Lee sarcastically.

"If you can't help then just refuse", said Yoon.

"No one is able to let you meet the king except our master", said Yobi looking at Yoon.

"Why? Is he some Prince or something?", asked Yoon.

Yobi was going to say something but Lee stopped him.

"Hh.....Yoon You shouldn't be here. You just got the chance to be scholar.....do you think king will amend his decision that easily. He's the nation's king who has to give justice to everyone", said Lee.

"Everyone was lying there. My mother never married him. He lied to save me....it doesn't matter to me if I'll not be scholar again as long as my family is safe....I'll explain this to the king", said Yoon and started walking.

"Yoon Shik do you think the king doesn't know what truth and what is lie? Get the proof first for him because everyone in the court had proofs with them. King knows everything but he needs proof to give the judgement. 

Moreover you'll not be able to fix anything now because your father is already being taken away in the hanging ground. It's better to watch him for the last time", said Lee and walked away.

"Please help me", said Yoon.

Lee didn't stop and walked away.

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In the ground his father the hanger came and was checking the ropes and other things.

Yoon reached there and see his father being taken there by the guards. Yoon ran to him....

"Let them", said the chief guard.

"Father just tell the truth. We will then stay happy as a family..... I'll earn money by doing the work as I used to earlier.... Father we will leave this city and village and settle somewhere else...just say the truth", said Yoon while crying.

"Son I want you to be scholar. You've worked hard for this....even your mother left that house so that she can raise you and Hani in a better environment. You've just got that opportunity. My sacrifice will not be wasted and it's well known fact for some good we've to sacrifice something. Never ever forget about your dream and your mother's. Be strong and be happy. Take care of Hani okay....I love you both and always will", said Gwang and he was taken away by the guard to the podium. Tears weren't stopping from Yoon. 

"I still have sometime...", mumbled Yoon and ran back to the palace when Yeong came there and tightly hugged him...."yoon there's no use.....", said Yeong in Yoon's ear.

"Father..."

"Your father is sacrificing his life for you", said Yeong with a broken voice. Hani came there with Eunho, Sunwo and Sung Tae.

"Oppa", said Hani and hugged him and then saw her father who was smiling at them.

Hani started crying....."can't we...", mumbled Hani.

Yoon kept hugging her and the next second their father was hanged. Yoon immediately turned her sister to the other side, still hugging her. Tears were all over Yoon's face and he closed his eyes.....Hani lost conscious hearing that culprit is hanged down.

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"Where's oppa?", asked Hani and sat on the bed.

"We don't know....", said Yeong. 

Hani started crying. Yeong patted at her back and said, "don't..."

"After mother left us he adopted us. I never thought our actual father will do such thing to us", said Hani and broken down. Yeong embraced her and said, "he will be punished for his crimes one day".

"Sunwo find Yoon", said Yeong.

"Eunho went behind him so don't worry", said Sunwo.

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Yoon was standing in front of the palace entrance and looking at the grand painting of the king of Joseon.

"Have you stared enough?"

Yoon turned to the voice. 

"You?"

"Come", said the person. It was none other than Eun Wook.

They entered a room which was quite big.