The King and the Clown continued

The play they performed was about how the King’s mother was killed. This was a matter that always caused the King to be depressed. His mother was killed because of being accused of causing the King’s father who was the previous King to be distracted from the state affairs. The empress dowager who was the grandmother of the current King after hearing reports of other concubines decided to force the previous King to bestow a poison wine to his love one.

The King was greatly affected emotionally when watching the play and he rushed to
Gong-gil who played the role of the mother and shouted, “Mamma, No!” Everyone present was shocked. The King then pull out a sword furiously and wanted to kill the concubines who made the little reports about his mum to his grandmother. The concubines pleaded guilty and asked for mercy. His grandmother tried to stop him insisting that his mother deserved to die for affecting the previous King’s capability in ruling the country. The king pushed his grandmother away twice and stabbed right through the concubines. The empress dowager could not take the blow and died as a result of it.

After this incident, Gong-gil requested the king to let him leave but the king refused and even gave him an official title for playing a part in getting rid of corrupted official and those who caused his mum to death. He was forced to accept it. The King’s favorite consort was really agitated by the King’s lust towards this boy and made a fuss of stripping him to see whether he’s a real guy. The King then dragged her out which made her even more upset.

Despite the mourning period of the empress dowager, the King insisted on the welcome ceremony for Gong-gil being an official to be held. Two of the ministers came up with a plan of a simulated hunting trip. But their plan was to murder Gong-gil. Gong-gil was saved by one of his troupe mate who died for him and by his captain. The King then came in time and shot one of the ministers to death. The other was killed by the troupe’s captain. Before the minister died, he said that the country was built up by the selfless sacrifice of the ministers but they were now being mocked by ministrels and that the King was a tyrant. Before this, a minister who has served the current and previous kings was pulled away roughly to one side by the King and sacked during the daily meeting of the king with the ministers because he opposed the troupe’s act which mocked the officials and requested them to leave the palace.

The Chief Attendant then went to seek an audience with the King. He said that his intention was just to show the King about the bad things happening in the court but never did he expected the king to be lustful towards a boy and became tyranny in ruling. The King was greatly angered by his words and sacked him.

The King’s favourite consort at the mean time was hatching an evil plot to frame Gong-gil. She asked her henchman to put notices up in the city that insulted and scolded the king using Gong-gil’s handwriting. The troupe’s captain who also has similar hand-writing as him because he learnt writing by imitating Gong-gil’s style took the rap for him. He was sentenced to death but was secretly released by the official who brought them in. He did not leave instead stayed to mock the King in the palace. The king then shot arrows at him but missed. He fell eventually and when the King was about to kill him, Gong-gil pleaded for his mercy and finally convinced the not to stained his hand with the blood of a lowly peasant. The king then asked Gong-gil to kill him but the later refused and asked the king to kill him instead. In the end, the King ordered the eyes of the captain to be smeared by hot iron and to be locked up in jail.

The officials decided to rebel and overthrown the king as they could not stand his tyranny. They went to look for the King’s Chief attendant and asked him to join them in this revolt and help served the fourth king as he had served three kings before including the current. He refused.

At the mean time, Gong-gil commited sucide by cutting his wrist while entertaining the king. Gong-gil was saved in the end. Emotionally depressed and seemed unaware of the uprise staged by his officials, the king went to look for his favourite consort to seek comfort. He then thought of an idea of having a party and called for his Chief Attendant. The Chief Attendant has committed sucide at his house.

The king arranged for the troupe captain to perform his speciality of walking on the rope high up. Despite being blinded, he still managed to perform singing about being blinded. Blinded by money thus he came to the capital and eventually to the palace and now really blinded. Gong-gil woke up and went to joined him up at the rope. They talked about whether being blind is good and what they want to be in their next lives.

The officials came and dashed into the palace. The palace guards fled and all the servants fled too later on. The consort’s henchman told her about the matter but she did not leave as she wanted to continue to watch the performance. The king was also engrossed with the performance. The troupe captain then said out aloud continued from the conversation with Gong-gil that he would want to a ministrel again in the next life. Gong-gil too wanted and they both jumped up. The end.