After that, they took Uk back to Songrim to show the leader that Uk could unsheathe the sword. Master Heo, Jin Mu, Lady Jin, were also there.

"Did I not forbid him from entering here?" The leader asked. "So why did you bring him with you?"

"There is something you should see." Uk said. Mu-deok handed the sword to Uk. "This is my father's sword." Uk said. "When I was young,  you said you would accept me if I unsheathed this." Uk explained. "Do you remember?" Uk asked The leader.  Uk held the sword with both hands. Everyone observed closely as Uk unsheathed the sword.

Jin Mu said something but Da-hye didn't hear what it was. She assumed it was something with his gate of energy opening up just recently. That's what Da-hye found strange.

"I see he has absorbed my torrent of energy." Master Heo said.

"Like Father like Son." Lady Jin said. "He mastered Ryusu in the blink of an eye."

If, and it was a very small if, the leader allowed Uk to be a Jeongjingak mage, Da-hye would have competition.

"Please take me under your wing," Uk told the leader. "My lord."

"What is that around your arm?" The leader asked being suspicious.

"His energy is focused on his right arm." Yul explained. "He could not control it yet, so it has been tied down by the binding bracelet."

The leader walked down the steps and towards Uk. "Take it off." He told Uk.

"If we do, his arm will get out of control." Dang-gu said.

"It should be unbinded after he receives more training." Da-hye said trying to avoid causing more chaos.

"Do it." The leader said, ignoring Dang-gu and Da-hye. Uk took of the bracelet and threw it to the floor. Uk's arm started to move but he stopped it with his other arm.

"Let me see you hold your sword." Jin said.

Da-hye knew her uncle was testing Uk. If Uk could hold it right, the leader might consider letting him be a mage at Jeongjingak. Uk let go of his hand and stabbed the leader near his shoulder. He fought against his arm and pulled out the sword.

Yul stopped him from doing anything else. "Bind his arm again." He told Cho-yeon. Cho-yeon put the binding bracelet on Uk again. Yul let go of Uk's hand and shoulder and stepped back.

"Are you all right, my lord?" Uk asked shocked by what he had done.

"What is the point of unsheathing the sword when you cannot even hold it?" The leader asked.

"He is just not able to control it for now." Cho-yeon said. "But his power is incredible. He even beat the Crown Prince with that." Big mistake. Cho-yeon shouldn't have mentioned that. Jin Mu's expression changed. "He broke His Royal Highness' sword." Cho-yeon contiuned speaking. "Despite having mastered Ryusu long ago, he was defeated by Uk."

Da-hye studied her uncle expression, it was always blank. But now, there was anger. It was as if he wanted to hide Uk.

"Jin Cho-yeon, stop intervening."  Lady Jin said.

"Yes, Mother." Cho-yeon said.

"Uk, did you really fight the Crown Prince." The leader asked. 

"He did not start it first." Dang-gu said.

"Did you fight him?!" The leader asked again.

"I did." Uk answered quietly.

"His Royal Highness wanted to take the Gwanju's sword." Maidservant Kim said. "It was a bet, my lord. Even the Crown Prince forgave him."

"Despite his sword having broken, Uk still threatened him with that sword!" Jin Mu shouted. "He put the Crown Prince's life in danger." Da-hye rolled her eyes. Jin Mu was throwing a tantrum.

"We were there too." Yul said. "We stopped him beforehand."

"That means the four of you watched as His Royal Highness was ridiculed!" Jin Mu shouted. "This is an insult to the royal family!"

"Lock him up." The leader said.  "He is uncontrollable and dangerous."

"Yes, my lord." The songrim mages answered. They took Uk away with Maidservant Kim following behind.

Jin Mu moved to stand next to the leader. "As soon as his gate of energy was opened, Jang Uk  immediately wielded his sword at the Crown Prince." Jin Mu said. "Cheonbugwan will not let this slide." Jin Mu said as he and his mages left.

On his way out, he stopped to look at Mu-deok. Was Naksu working with Jin Mu? Did Uk know about this?

--

 Dang-gu and Master Heo had visited  Uk to try and cheer him up. Da-hye didn't bother going, she couldn't say anything that would make him feel better.

She was studying in Jeongjingak like she always did. A few minutes later, Dang-gu joined her. 

"I'm worried for Uk." Dang-gu said.

"Let him be." Da-hye said. "He will get over it soon."

"But what if he doesn't?" Dang-gu asked.

"He will." Da-hye said.

Da-hye and Dang-gu continued studying in silence.

 "Young Master. Young Lady." Mu-deok said. "My young master is too troubled and will not drink any water." Mu-deok explained. "Can you please help?"

"What can we do?" Da-hye asked. "It is best that my uncle resolves this." Da-hye didn't know what Mu-deok was trying to do. But she didn't think it would be good.

"Master Heo said he would step up." Mu-deok insisted. "Please ask him to meet with Jin Mu and put an end to this immediately." Mu-deok managed to convince Dang-gu. They were not at Cheonbugwan meeting with Jin Mu. Da-hye sat with her arms crossed, clearly not wanting to be present.

"I came here today because I am concerned that you exacerbated a trivial issue." Master Heo said. 

"How could threatening the Crown Prince be deemed trivial?!" Jin Mu asked.

"That is why our leader locked him away." Master Heo replied trying to remain calm. "Songrim will give him the punishment he deserves."

"Songrim cannot punish him when this concerns the royal family." Jin Mu said. "Since Cheonbugwan is in charge, we will punish him here." 

"What will you do with him?" Master Heo asked. 

"Since he threatened the Crown Prince, he deserves to be beheaded." Jin Mu said.  There was no way ANYONE was going to allow Uk to be beheaded. 

"However, we cannot kill the the Gwanju's one and only son." Jin Mu said.  "So we ought to cut off the arm that threatened the Crown Prince."

"Cut of his arm?!" Master Heo said. "It must have hurt your pride that your pupil could not put up a fight against Uk whose gate of energy had only been open for 10 days." Master Heo started losing his temper. "You fool, I was generous enough to save you two's faces. So I was going to be nice about this. But you have gone insane!"

"Let Cheonbugwan determine if it is me who is crazy or Jang Uk." Jin Mu said. 

"You little!" Master Heo slammed the table.

"Master, please." Dang-gu tried to calm him down. 

"Their fight was consensual." Dang-gu said. "Uk's maid witnessed it all from the beginning." Dang-gu looked over at Mu-deok.

Mu-deok bowed her head. "It was a fair fight. If you cannot believe us, let them fight again." Master Heo, Dang-gu, Da-hye all turned to look at Mu-deok. That was her plan? 

"Fight again? That is a good idea." Jin Mu said.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝗮-𝗵𝘆𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲? 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄.