Gojong's Palace, Sparta...
The Emperor and his entourage stayed for a few nights at the Spartan Palace following the new information he received from King Orestes of Sparta. It is important to understand Gojong's mindset, and thus his reign, leading up to this point in time. There were no two ways about it; Gojong's reign was marked with failure after failure, he was unpopular among the people, and the nobility. The military remained relatively indifferent to his reign, although the Imperial Commander Jumong, despite his "rude" disposition, was loyal to the Imperial throne. Now the Spartan King, a new friend of Korea, informed him that there were suspicions against his own Prime Minister, as well as his Foreign Minister. That they plotted to seize control of the Imperial title for their own family. He held a private meeting with his Imperial Commander; General Jumong of Pyong'yang...
"I'm not sure what to believe General." Gojong said as he stared at the letter Orestes provided to him, "Killing me would indeed result in his rise to power, but it would only be temporary, until a new Emperor is named."
"Well, perhaps that is the plan Emperor." Jumong said, sipping on some Greek wine, "This is actually fantastic, they've certainly got better at making wine."
"Will you stop for one moment and listen to me! Your tactlessness is begining to annoy me deeply!" the Emperor fired back. Jumong put his goblet on the table, "What shall we do about this?"
"Well, I have ordered my men to torture the Greek spy for information, but I suppose we will be returning him to Orestes soon. Honestly this could be a deception on the pat of Sparta. I would be wary to make a hasty decision."
The Emperor thought for a moment, "If my wife bears a girl, I could marry her to whomever I wished, thus controlling the Imperial line. If it is a boy, there is a risk that Bojong will have me killed, act as steward, and having taught the boy for his entire life would maintain his authority."
"Well, while that may be true you have no control over such a thing. I say you arrest Bojong immedeately, and that sniveling prat Bak Moon as well, I should have killed him when I had the chance!" Jumong said.
"The thing is this; can I trust my own wife?" the Emperor asked, staring out of a window at the moon.
"Well, I was under the impression you didn't trust her anyway." Jumong said, the Emepror gave him a stern look, "Sorry. That was out of line."
"If the child is a girl, I will marry her to a General, perhaps Kim." Gojong thought aloud, "If it is a boy he will be sent away, here to Greece, for his education."
"Kim?" Jumong chuckled, "He is a low-born peasant, that would be laughable."
There was a silence in the room, the Emperor was quite serious; "I do not see what is funny, this will remove any chance of Wonsan maintaining its power, it would move up that family, grant us loyalty from the soldiers, and support from the peasants. Which, thanks to your propensity towards violence, has been at an all-time low as of late."
"I'm quite sure he is married." Jumong replied.
"I am the Emperor, General, nobody says no to me." Gojong snapped back.
Jumong nodded, "I just wanted to let you know beforehand."
"Besides, despite our unsatisfactory status in the world at this time we are a wealthy nation, and if his wife is of the peasantry I am sure her father would be willing to accept a handsome payment in exchange."
"Well, you could just pay me and I can convince him. I do have my ways." Jumong smiled.
Gojong shook his head slowly, "I think I'll let the gold do the talking."

....................
"I'm not sure what to believe General." Gojong said as he stared at the letter Orestes provided to him, "Killing me would indeed result in his rise to power, but it would only be temporary, until a new Emperor is named."
"Well, perhaps that is the plan Emperor." Jumong said, sipping on some Greek wine, "This is actually fantastic, they've certainly got better at making wine."
"Will you stop for one moment and listen to me! Your tactlessness is begining to annoy me deeply!" the Emperor fired back. Jumong put his goblet on the table, "What shall we do about this?"
"Well, I have ordered my men to torture the Greek spy for information, but I suppose we will be returning him to Orestes soon. Honestly this could be a deception on the pat of Sparta. I would be wary to make a hasty decision."
The Emperor thought for a moment, "If my wife bears a girl, I could marry her to whomever I wished, thus controlling the Imperial line. If it is a boy, there is a risk that Bojong will have me killed, act as steward, and having taught the boy for his entire life would maintain his authority."
"Well, while that may be true you have no control over such a thing. I say you arrest Bojong immedeately, and that sniveling prat Bak Moon as well, I should have killed him when I had the chance!" Jumong said.
"The thing is this; can I trust my own wife?" the Emperor asked, staring out of a window at the moon.
"Well, I was under the impression you didn't trust her anyway." Jumong said, the Emepror gave him a stern look, "Sorry. That was out of line."
"If the child is a girl, I will marry her to a General, perhaps Kim." Gojong thought aloud, "If it is a boy he will be sent away, here to Greece, for his education."
"Kim?" Jumong chuckled, "He is a low-born peasant, that would be laughable."
There was a silence in the room, the Emperor was quite serious; "I do not see what is funny, this will remove any chance of Wonsan maintaining its power, it would move up that family, grant us loyalty from the soldiers, and support from the peasants. Which, thanks to your propensity towards violence, has been at an all-time low as of late."
"I'm quite sure he is married." Jumong replied.
"I am the Emperor, General, nobody says no to me." Gojong snapped back.
Jumong nodded, "I just wanted to let you know beforehand."
"Besides, despite our unsatisfactory status in the world at this time we are a wealthy nation, and if his wife is of the peasantry I am sure her father would be willing to accept a handsome payment in exchange."
"Well, you could just pay me and I can convince him. I do have my ways." Jumong smiled.
Gojong shook his head slowly, "I think I'll let the gold do the talking."
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