Chapter 113

18
The morning of the archery contest started clear and bright. The palace grounds came to life with the crowd that had thronged to witness the next Crown Prince contest. The feel in the air was thick with excitement, which I could feel weighing on my shoulders in view of everybody's expectations.
Yi Geum, Yi Hon, and I walked to the archery range, each of us carrying our bows. The range had been set up in an open clearing, with a number of targets ranging from close by to quite far away. The king sat, flanked by the ministers and other high officials, in a grandstand above the range. The crowd quieted as we came into sight; every face turned toward us.