The Virgin Outcast Who Stole The Empress Heart

[2] Trial

I watch as the elders all begin looking at me, each with different expressions on their face which makes me jot in my mind ..They all already know. Rumours, how rumours can fly so quickly.

I walk forward ..still following Yabo who seems to be taking me to my throne as the Empress consort.

Hmm.. I thought I was going to be punished or worse banished again.

I turned to Jandi who's standing beside me.

"What's going on?" I whispered.

"This morning the Empress came to meet you but you were still sleeping so she asked me things ..like what happened yesterday and I told her." She whispered, her reply making me feel more disturbed.

"This doesn't mean that she will set my brother free ..right." I muttered to myself then started walking faster but still behind Yabo who bow slowly then said Your Highness when I'm now in front of my throne. 

I sit quickly and turn my head towards the Empress but then panic when all the Elders and people in the hall all bow and greet in acknowledgment ..for a while there I had totally forgotten that, that's the custom.

I kept looking at the Empress, trying to communicate with her through my eyes but she wouldn't even look at me. I sigh and sit back down properly but then something caught my attention, a handcuffed Sangyun being escorted inside like a criminal.

I watch as Seo-jun leads Sangyun to the left side of the hall where he sits him down, uncuffed him then takes his own seat. I discard my eyes from them and move it back to the entrance door. There I saw Hwa holding her mother's hand as they made their way to their various seats but what is confusing and scaring me now at the same time is their emotionless faces. This makes me ask myself "..Is this part of their plan?"

The hall became very quiet when the Empress began to speak.

"Baek Sunghyun, what's the reason for this meeting?." The Empress asked one of her elders, I guess he's the one who sets and explains the reason for any gatherings the Empress holds.

I listen as Elder Baek Sunghyun begins summarizing yesterday's deserter. When he was done he bowed to the Empress while telling her that he's done.

Murmurs, whispers are being heard as some people begin arguing others started voicing their opinions to the Empress at the same time.

When the Empress began to speak again, the people in the hall all stopped talking.

"Ahn Jae-hyun, what's your opinion on this?" The Empress asked the Prime minister who stood up and began voicing his opinion.

"Her Highness, The Empress consort only went in there because of her brother ..like her personal maid said.

The issue here is her brother who is an outcast and why is Sunghyun holding him captive in Shille?" The Prime Minister asked then start to speak again but was interrupted by angry voices who are now standing and voicing their disagreement very loudly.

"He has to die by hanging for breaking the rule and stepping foot in Shille!!" An angry voice yelled very loudly but what makes tears begin forming in my eyes is the others who are now standing and yelling at the same time.

"Death by hanging! Kill him!!."

"Kim Min-jun shall die by hanging! It's the law that if an outcast who ever sets foot in the forbidden country that he's not supposed to then shall die by hanging in the deseu hol." Elder Jo In-sung yells out loud.

I look up at the Empress but I can't tell what she's thinking, all I see is the frown on her forehead. 

I look at Jandi and she has a very scared look on her face that I'm sure almost matches mine. I turned to look at everyone else and all of them except Yabo and the other guards had a very angry and determined look on their faces ..the annoying part is Kyung-sook and her children, they are smirking ..they have very readable, victorious smiles on their faces.

Why do they want my brother dead by all means?

What are they trying to hide?

I found myself standing up and my feet moving to where the Empress is ..I stand in front of her and begin crying then kneel. Suddenly I feel someone hold me up before my kneel could touch the ground, I look up at the bearer of the hands and my eyes meet a very furious eyes which belongs to my wife and which made me look down immediately in shame.

I'm a disgrace!

I feel the Empress lift me up then hand me over to Jandi who is now near me and instruct Yabo to escort us back to my chamber but I don't want to go!

I want to talk to her. 

Why won't you let us have a conversation about this or any conversation at all!?. I know now is not the right time to voice my opinion and besides, I can't ..even if I want to, I know I can't so I just followed Yabo and Jandi and walked out of the hall but not before I heard my wife voice telling them that the meeting has been postponed, that it will continue tomorrow.