Now, are you ready to hear the story about the Jeongdok Library? Jeongdok Library is a municipal library in Seoul—a place where many people come to read books and study. As widely known, this library was originally the building of Gyeonggi High School.

However, for me, it's a place that stirs complex emotions. Originally, this was where my two comrades, Kim Okgyun and Seo Jaepil, lived. After the coup, both of them went into exile. Kim Okgyun was assassinated by Hong Jongwoo in Shanghai, China, in 1894, and his body was sent back to Korea, only to be quartered again—an indescribably horrific event. Seo Jaepil went to the United States from Japan, eventually obtaining U.S. citizenship.

The house, once a prestigious residence in Seoul, became a house of rebels after the Gapsin Coup, so no one paid it any attention. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say people avoided it. In the meantime, the house fell into ruin.

However, an interesting transformation took place here as well. Just as my former residence became the Western-style hospital Jejungwon Clinic Center, this place evolved into a public middle school. In other words, it became the birthplace of modern secondary education in Korea, dating back to the year 1900. While the first public elementary school, Gyodong Elementary School, was established in 1894, public secondary education was created about six years later.

Modern secondary education, representing the enlightenment, takes place where two individuals, who once led the charge for modernization but met tragic ends, once lived. The flow of history is truly intriguing, isn't it? If it were not the homes of Kim Okgyun and Seo Jaepil, would a school have been established here?

Inside the Jeongdok Library, there's another intriguing feature. If you head east from the main library building, you'll come across a well. It's uncommon to find a well inside a school, but this particular well signifies the location of someone's former residence. Yes, it happens to be the site where Park Jesoon, one of the Five Eulsa Traitors and a former Minister of External Affairs, once lived. Interestingly, Park Jesoon's career aligns well with his role as a Minister of External Affairs.

Park Jesoon was not only one of the first diplomats sent to China but also assumed control of a Legation Office from the Qing Dynasty. Highly knowledgeable about international affairs, he was regarded as an elite figure during the late Joseon and the Daehan Empire. However, sometimes knowledge can lead people down the wrong path. From his international perspective, the Daehan Empire might have appeared extremely precarious.

Nevertheless, as an intellectual and a bureaucrat tasked with leading the nation, he should have navigated the challenging path to discern the right direction and protect the country, rather than conforming to prevailing currents.

Alright, let's move on to the next location. As we leave the Jeongdok Library, we'll head towards Duksung Girls' High School. There might not be any prominent buildings in sight, but our next destination is the place where the Central Temple of Cheondogyo was once located, as indicated by the guidepost.