Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 174

Chapter 174

The world looked different to Danjong, who had become a true king. 

He noticed the tension among the ministers and the glares of Kim Jongseo and Grand Prince Suyang. 

He realized that the cold water that had been pushing him was not his own burden, but a warning.

Late at night.

In his spacious palace, in his bedroom where he could reveal his true feelings, he spoke to Kim Naegwan, the most trustworthy person he had.

The Left Prime Minister is recommending his people for vacant positions, and Suyang Uncle is demanding excessive rewards for his people.

The cold and dark water was a warning that there were traitors who coveted his throne. It was the instinct of Danjong, who was born, raised, and became a king as a king, that sent him the warning.

Kim Naegwan looked at Danjong with pity.

Your Majesty.

The Left Prime Minister has been in the position of a minister since my fathers time, and he still has power as a senior minister, so he doesnt want the king to change.

Danjong was calm even in his anger.

I have to be wary of Suyang Uncle.

Danjong, who had become a true king, came to that conclusion.

The conclusion was quick, but Grand Prince Suyangs move was quicker.

Kim Jongseo, who didnt expect him to act so fast, was attacked, and Grand Prince Suyang and the traitors stormed into the palace. 

The cruel smell of blood reached Gangnyeongjeon. 

While Kim Naegwan went to stop the traitors, the screams got closer.

Theyre coming.

Danjong bit his lip.

The door of his bedroom opened with a bang! Grand Prince Suyang appeared with a bloody sword in his hand.

The theater was silent. 

The audience was captivated by the nerve-wracking confrontation between the two. 

It felt like they were peeking into a scene from history, and they were afraid that if they uttered a word, this precarious standoff would break. 

They clenched their mouths shut.

Grand Prince Suyang snarled, showing his teeth.

Listen well. I wont kill you.

He spat out each word as if chewing them.

Ill make this a legitimate succession, and silence any dissent, and ascend to the throne rightfully.

Grand Prince Suyang grabbed Danjongs collar. 

He shouted angrily at Danjongs eyes, which said that he was nothing but a traitor.

No matter how much you provoke me, I wont kill you and become a rebel, so stop annoying me! Ihongwi!

For a moment, Danjongs pupils shook.

Just one day.

The coup that turned the sky upside down was over.

Grand Prince Suyang took over the key positions. 

He contrasted himself with the depressed Danjong and the loyalists, giving them rewards. 

The senior ministers were killed, and Anpyeong Daegun, who was Grand Prince Suyangs rival, was exiled.

Before Danjong could do anything, Grand Prince Suyang blocked all his paths.

To eliminate the influence of Sejongs consort, Hyebin Yangssi, whom Danjong relied on, Grand Prince Suyang made his own person, Song Hyunsus daughter, Danjongs queen. 

There was a lot of resistance since it was still Munjongs mourning period, but Grand Prince Suyang didnt care.

That wasnt all. By Grand Prince Suyangs order, Hyebin Yangssi, Geumseong Daegun and many other relatives, palace ladies, and servants were all made criminals and exiled.

Take care of yourself. Your Majesty.

Choisanggung too Choisanggung too be well

When Danjong finally showed tears, everyone turned their heads and shed tears. 

They knew that this exile would not end well.

In the end, Danjong, who had to send away his precious people one by one, made a decision. 

He decided to step down from this position before more people got hurt.

Under Gyeonghoeru.

By Danjongs order, Grand Prince Suyang and the ministers gathered.

As if sensing something, the atmosphere was heavy. 

Danjong looked at Grand Prince Suyang and the civil and military officials with his head down and opened his mouth.

I inherited the great work of my father at a young age, and stayed deep in the palace without knowing anything about the internal and external affairs of the country, and caused many troubles to the nation.

He couldnt bring himself to say words like wicked mob or traitors. 

The people who died or were exiled to protect him were not such people.

The loyalists who remained swallowed their tears at Danjongs words.

Grand Prince Suyang and the loyalists bowed their heads and hid their expressions.

To stop any further turmoil, I decided to hand over this heavy position to Suyang Uncle.

Lets end this here. Uncle. Whether he understood Danjongs hidden words or not, Grand Prince Suyang just obeyed and shouted.

Please take back your order! Your Majesty!

Grand Prince Suyang cried with fake tears, making Danjongs face darker. He was a truly remarkable uncle.

The ministers also pleaded for him to take back his order. 

How many of them were sincere? 

Danjongs face became cloudy.

Seongsammoon, who brought the jade seal, sobbed. 

Under the quiet Gyeonghoeru, Seongsammoons cry seemed to represent Danjongs heart.

Danjong bit his lip and lifted the jade seal with his trembling hand, handing it over to Grand Prince Suyang.

Please, please lead this country well.

At those words, Grand Prince Suyangs face hardened. 

He saw a sharp look in his fake tears. 

He hated Danjong, who cared more about the country than himself. 

Even that merciful heart seemed like a kings leisure that he couldnt have, and Grand Prince Suyang felt his guts twist.

The eyes of the one who was the king and the one who became the king met.

Thats how Grand Prince Suyang became the king.

In just three years. 

The splendid coronation ceremony that changed the sky of Joseon was over, and Danjong moved his residence. 

Sejo laughed at Danjongs last words and told him to leave Gangnyeongjeon.

Seonggun? Seonggun! Yes! Be my Seonggun! But Ihongwi. It wont be the same for you!

The attendants outside shuddered at his cold words.

The audience also closed their mouths and immersed themselves in the movie. 

Lee Jiseok? Lee Seojun? Seongnyeong Daegun? Heo Uigwan? 

None of them came to mind. 

It was just Danjong and Grand Prince Suyang.

They failed.

Yes.

Danjong heard the news from Kim Naegwan.

Kim Jils last attempt with his secret agents failed. 

Sejo was torturing the related people himself. 

Whether it was because Sejo didnt stop it or not, the news kept coming.

Seongsammoon was dignified, they say.

Yes

Park Paengnyeon called him nari, they say.

Heuk

Seongsammoon didnt bow his head even under cruel torture. 

Park Paengnyeon called Sejo nari, a derogatory term. 

In front of the rebels, the six servants had no shame at all.

Danjong shed tears and prayed for the souls of those who died.

Depose the former king as Nosan-gun and expel him from the palace!

Sejos order fell and Danjong left the palace and went to Yeongwol. 

Danjongs face was filled with fear as he left the palace, which he had never left since he was born.

In Yeongwol, far away, Danjong met a commoner. 

He was Gangdol, who lived in a village near Yeongwol. 

He avoided the eyes of the watchers and came to Gwanpungheon. 

The stories of the village that Gangdol told him were the only things that comforted Danjongs heart.

But that small happiness didnt last long either.

Imiyeon and Park Seonga cried at the sight of Danjong sitting in front of a dark medicine.

He didnt say a word, but they could tell his complicated feelings by his expression alone. 

He wouldnt run away for the sake of the people. 

Where was such a sad thing?

Danjong smiled softly and looked at the sky.

Didnt I do well enough?

At that one sentence, finally, cries broke out in the theater. 

The effort to cover their mouths so as not to disturb the viewing was all in vain.

Ah.

You did well. You did your best.

You tried hard. You really tried hard.

Thats all I can say, Imiyeon could only cry for Danjong, who didnt cry. 

What if this kind child had become the king?

What if he had lived longer? It was a past that had already passed, but she couldnt get rid of that thought in her head.

Among the cries of the audience,

The screen slowly moved away from Danjong, who reached out for the medicine. 

The faces of Kim Naegwan and Gangdol, who were crying, were shown, and the villagers who heard the news looked miserable in the direction of Gwanpungheon. 

The children that Danjong saved and tried to protect ran around laughing without knowing anything.

The screen showed Yeongwol below. 

Here, the king who missed the palace and his family changed his name.

He was only 17 years old.

The screen showed an official riding a horse on the ground. T

he horse ran fast even in the setting sun, and entered the capital. 

The official told Geumgun the news, and Geumgun told Naegwan.

Naegwan approached Sejo, who was about to enter Gangnyeongjeon, and whispered to him. Sejos lips twitched. 

He tried to lower his lips that were about to rise, but he couldnt stop them.

Finally, finally he died.

The spark that would surely burn Sejo someday finally disappeared. 

Now he was truly a legitimate king. 

A king that no one could oppose.

Uhahahaha!

In the end, Sejo laughed out loud for the first time in his life, as if he was pouring out his heart. 

It felt like his lifelong inferiority complex was bursting out.

His loud laughter was delivered to the audience through the speakers. 

The audience who cried at Danjongs death felt distant for a moment. 

How could he laugh at someones death like that? 

It gave them goosebumps. 

They wished someone would avenge the young kings injustice.

Sejo stopped laughing and entered Gangnyeongjeon with a satisfied face. 

He walked briskly to his bedroom. 

The camera that followed his back caught something falling from the sky.

It was a small and white snowflake.

The screen paused for a moment and followed Sejos back again.

Sejo walked through the corridor and opened the door of his bedroom, where the maids had already lit the candles. 

This was the place where only the king could stay, the kings treasure.

Sejos satisfied face slowly changed.

Imiyeon, who glared at Sejo with resentment, noticed the change. 

So did the other audience.

Sejo seemed to forget to breathe. 

His lips that were softly raised hardened and slowly went down. 

His eyes that were half-smiling widened and opened as wide as they could. 

His face that was rosy turned pale in an instant.

Sejos face started to tremble.

His hands, his feet,

His legs, his body,

They started to shake as if he had met an earthquake.

Thi Hongwi!

The audience covered their mouths at Sejos scream-like words.

The screen didnt show the inside of the bedroom, but only Sejo and a part of the bedroom. 

Even so, the audience felt it. 

The strangeness inside the bedroom, the horror that Sejo felt. 

The audience shivered at Sejos expression and the ominousness that came from inside the bedroom.

The dead king had returned.

As the true king returned, all the emotions that had burst out doubled and tripled, and bound Sejo like thick chains. 

Sejo, no, Grand Prince Suyang collapsed as if his legs lost strength.

How How can this be!

The camera that filmed him slowly backed away.

It passed through the corridor and showed the outside of Gangnyeongjeon.

It snowed.

It snowed as if mourning the kings death.

Two shadows were reflected on the paper window.

A small shadow sitting and a large shadow crouching.

They were Danjong who died and Grand Prince Suyang who lived.