Nine

"I will give you one chance to explain."

Trembling with fear, Minister Baek Yung Woo rummaged his brain to find the right words. Although the king seemed calm, he knew with just one command, His Majesty was capable of separating one's head from their body. The minister began to sweat profusely. His knees ached, too, as they were pressed against the hard ground for quite some time.

"Well," said Hwi.

He stared at the royal official in disgust. If he didn't witness such atrocity with his own pair of eyes, it would've taken some convincing for him to believe that a royal court official could act so shamelessly in broad daylight.

"I've heard things about you but I have to say, you made quite an impression today," Hwi continued with a sly smile. "I didn't think you'd do such a thing in broad daylight."

Baek Yung Woo failed miserably this time. He should've been more careful having been aware that His Majesty had set out on a royal expedition. It never occurred to him that the king would grant his presence in a small town as Jinhae, though.

"Your Majesty!" he cried. "Please spare me!"

Hwi nodded.

"I am giving you a chance to explain yourself," he replied in a deep, serious tone. "Go for it."

"I...

"Father!"

Just as Baek Yung Woo opened his mouth to speak, a young woman about the same age as Hwi dashed in. Kang Eun Soo drew his sword and the woman fell to her knees at once.

"Your Majesty! Please spare my father!" she cried.

"Father?" Hwi questioned, completely unaware that Baek Yung Woo had any children.

"Jin Hee!" Baek Yung Woo cried.

"You have a daughter yet you commit these shameless crimes?" asked Hwi.

"Your Majesty, please spare my father," Baek Jin Hee pleaded.

"If I had to guess, I'd say you are unaware of your father's crimes," Hwi replied. "It's best if you stay out of it, or you will bring upon charges against yourself as well."

He'd hate for an innocent young woman to be punished along with her father.

"I'll gladly accept any punishment on behalf of my father," she adamantly stated.

"Baek Yung Woo, how lucky of you to have such a wonderful daughter," Hwi scoffed.

He shook his head and thought for a moment.

"I'll be staying at your residence for a few days to execute a thorough investigation of your crimes. Meanwhile, you are not to take even one step out of your property," he said.

"Y-yes, Your Majesty!"

Baek Yung Woo bowed several times while his daughter helped him onto his feet.

"Prepare the best guest room for His Majesty!" Baek Yung Woo exclaimed at the maids nearby.

He then looked up at Hwi, who looked away unimpressed.

"Your Majesty, it is an honor to host you in my home," Baek Yung Woo continued. "If there's anything you need...

"I need you to bring me all of the cargo logs," Hwi commanded.

"Y-yes, Your Majesty."

It didn't take long at all for the room to be prepared. Before he knew it, Hwi was sitting at the table in the room examining the cargo logs he'd requested from Baek Yung Woo earlier.

"What a clever old man," Hwi smirked.

He closed the book and set it on the table.

"Were your suspicions correct, my lord?" asked Kang Eun Soo.

Hwi handed the log he briefly examined to the royal guard.

"You take a look," he said.

Kang Eun Soo flipped through a few pages and closed the cover.

"The...

A sudden, soft knock on the door interrupted them. Hwi nodded at Kang Eun Soo, giving him the all-clear to answer it.

"Miss Baek," he said, stepping aside so the woman can enter.

"What is this?" Hwi asked, noticing the teapot and teacups on the tray she was holding.

"I just thought you may enjoy our best tea here in this province," she replied.

"Miss Baek, you don't have to...

"I understand that you are actively investigating my father," she interrupted, much to Hwi's surprise.

No one had ever interrupted him before... except for Noh Ha Kyung.

"But it is still my duty to respect you and treat you with the highest honor, Your Majesty."

Hwi watched as Baek Jin Hee poured the tea.

"T-thank you," said Hwi, slightly curious as to why she had to serve him herself considering they had a house full of maids.

He really didn't know what else to say. She seemed like a polite young woman and filial daughter after all.

"Please do not hesitate to let me know if I can be of further service, Your Majesty," she said.

She left after serving him tea, but Kang Eun Soo was hesitant for Hwi to consume it.

"Odd," said Kang Eun Soo.

"She's probably just being a good host."

Hwi had read through his royal guard's mind.

"Either that or Minister Baek Yung Woo wishes to...

"I doubt it," Hwi interrupted before Kang Eun Soo could finish. "If anything happened to me while I'm on his property, every individual in the Baek manor will face the death sentence. Plus, I've already sent an official royal order to the palace. After I wrap up his investigation, he will be escorted to the palace to be imprisoned in the royal dungeon."

Hwi filled the other teacup and handed it to Kang Eun Soo, who not only didn't take it, but also stared blankly at him.

"Enjoy the tea with me," said Hwi. "Just like our fathers used to do."

The royal guard nodded and took the cup from Hwi.

"So I assume you see the same pattern I do?" Hwi questioned, referring to the cargo logs.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Hwi flipped through another log and back.

"The amount of exported goods continue to fluctuate," said Hwi.

"Where would he keep all of the goods he hoards?" Kang Eun Soo questioned.

"He doesn't," Hwi replied, getting up from the table. "How can a small town minister be so wealthy in just a short period of time?"

Kang Eun Soo thought for a moment and looked up at Hwi.

"He's bartering the hoarded supplies," said Kang Eun Soo.

Hwi nodded and folded his arms.

"His money is his money so he only gains," he further explained. "By bartering rice to local poor families, he takes their daughter and sells her to the Mings."

"Win-win," said Kang Eun Soo.

"Exactly."

Pacing back and forth in his study, Baek Yung Woo continued to wait anxiously on his daughter's return.

"Did you serve him the tea?!" Minister Baek asked his daughter in a loud whisper.

"Yes, Father," she replied.

Baek Jin Hee had never seen her father so nervous before. For as long as she could remember, he was always a determined, business-oriented man without a worry.

"And what was his reaction?"

"He seemed surprised yet indifferent."

"You have to seduce him! Have you any idea that he has demoted his former Queen? If you can successfully seduce him...

"I won't seduce him, Father," she replied adamantly, quite ashamed that her father was capable of thinking of such ideas.

"That is the only way I can escape these charges!" Baek Yung Woo exclaimed. "If you become queen then I'll be the king's father in law!"

"If you knew you'd be in this much trouble then why did you commit all of those crimes in the first place?!"

It all happened lightning fast. Baek Jin Hee stared at her father with tears in her eyes.

"You've never laid a finger on me since I was born," she sobbed. "Today, you slap me because I refuse to seduce a man?"

"That man you're referring to is the king," Baek Yung Woo reminded his daughter.

Without saying another word, the young woman charged out of her father's study and wandered into the gardens. The garden in their home had always been her favorite spot. She'd find consolation in the flowers that her late mother had planted. After her mother passed, Baek Jin Hee tried her best to take care of it.

"Miss Baek?"

A calm, soft voice made Baek Jin Hee turn around.

"Your Majesty," she said, gently dabbing at her tears.

"Did someone... hurt you?" Hwi asked curiously.

He wondered if the father-daughter pair were playing tricks on him.

"I'm fine," Baek Jin Hee replied, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

She gave a slight bow and proceeded to walk away so she wouldn't have to be interrogated by the man she was supposed to seduce. She just couldn't face him.

"Wait," said Hwi, stepping in her way.

Without realizing how close she was to the stone hedge on the right, she found herself in Hwi's arms after carelessly tripping over. Their eyes met. The deja vu of a similar incident with Noh Ha Kyung sent chills up Hwi's spine, immediately triggering his release of Baek Jin Hee.

"Sorry," he hastily apologized, having forgotten that he is supposedly a gentleman. "Are you alright?"

Although gentlemen do save "damsels in distress", Hwi didn't wish to unintentionally offend her in any way.

"I-I'm fine, my lord," she stammered.

She didn't dare make eye contact, afraid her heart will skip a beat again. Her ankle was in slight pain and will probably be a little bruised tomorrow. How clumsy of her to trip in front of him?!