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Chinese on account of the high-handed acts of the latter in Corea, and that if Japan should defeat China in concert with France she would surely annex Corea in order to prevent her becoming the prey of her rival. The Queen, who had been listening to the conversation from behind the door, now presented herself, and earnestly inquired of Kin-giok-kin what was to be done in order to avoid this unhappy outcome. Remembering that the Queen was a member of the Bin family, Kin-giok-kin only muttered that he deserved the sentence of death for having spoken to his Master and Lord in such an unceremonious manner. The Queen, who was no ordinary woman, now said to Kin-giok-kin: ‘You doubt me, Kin-giok-kin, but when it concerns the fate of Corea, why should I, one woman, stand in the way of avoiding national calamity? You had better speak out freely what you think.’ The King also assured Kin-giok-kin that he believed in the absolute loyalty of the latter, and, swearing that he would abide by whatever advice Kin-giok-kin had to offer, earnestly entreated him to do something for the country. Hereupon Kin-giok-kin disclosed to the royal pair what seemed to him the only possible way open under the circumstances, and obtained from the King a secret order, written, signed, and sealed by the King himself, to carry out the plan. That Kin-giok-kin was not lying when he wrote this diary subsequent events will show.

The plot conceived by the Japanese party was as follows: As all the principal personages of the Chinese party were officers of the guard, and were by duty bound to assume certain posts or appear in the Court whenever a fire broke out in the capital, a detached building of the Palace was to be burnt on a certain day, in order to give the assassins easier work to do; and as there was a fear of their perceiving the plot and concealing themselves, a festive occasion was to be chosen, when all the principal personages had to present themselves.

On the 4th of December, 1884, the first post-office was opened in Seoul under the direction of a Japanese ex-postmaster, and a dinner was given by the Corean Government, to which were invited the Diplomatic Corps and all the magnates of Corea. The feast was hardly over when fire broke out in a neighbouring building, and, in the tumult which ensued, Bin-ei-yoku was severely wounded by Coreans disguised as Japanese. Boku-ei-ko, Kin-giok-kin, and the rest of the Japanese party immediately went to the royal presence, and told the King that, as the Chinese soldiers were ravaging the city and threatening the palace, the only help was to be sought from the Japanese Minister and his soldiers.