While Miura was thinking in this fashion the Regent came to see him.  He proposed to break into the palace, seize the King and assume real power.  As a result of their conversation, a conference was held between the Japanese Minister and his two leading officials, Sugimura and Okamoto.  “The decision arrived at on that occasion,” states the report of the Japanese Court of Preliminary Enquiries, “was that assistance should be rendered to the Tai Won Kun’s (Regent’s) entry into the palace by making use of the Kunrentai, who, being hated by the Court, felt themselves in danger, and of the young men who deeply lamented the course of events, and also by causing the Japanese troops stationed in Seoul to offer support to the enterprise.  It was further resolved that this opportunity should be availed of for taking the life of the Queen, who exercised overwhelming influence in the Court."[1]

[Footnote 1:  Japanese official report.]

The whole thing was to be done according to system.  The Regent was made to bind himself down to the Japanese.  A series of pledges was drawn up by Sugimura, and handed to the Regent, saying that this was what Miura expected of him.  He, his son and his grandson “gladly assented” to the conditions and he wrote a letter guaranteeing his good faith.  The Japanese Minister then resolved to carry out the plan, i.e., the attack on the palace and the murder of the Queen, by the middle of the month.  A statement by the Korean War Minister that the disbandment of the Kunrentai troops was approaching caused them to hurry their plans.  “It was now evident that the moment had arrived, and that no more delay should be made.  Miura Goro and Fukashi Sugimura consequently determined to carry out the plot on the night of that very day."[1] The Legation drew up a detailed program of what was to happen, and orders were issued to various people.  Official directions were given to the Commander of the Japanese battalion in Seoul Miura summoned some of the Japanese and asked them to collect their friends and to act as the Regent’s body-guard when he entered the palace.  “Miura told them that on the success of the enterprise depended the eradication of the evils that had done so much mischief in the Kingdom for the past twenty years, and instigated them to despatch the Queen when they entered the palace."[2] The head of the Japanese police force was ordered to help; and policemen off duty were to put on civilian dress, provide themselves with swords and proceed to the rendezvous.  Minor men, “at the instigation of Miura, decided to murder the Queen and took steps for collecting accomplices."[3]

[Footnote 1:  Japanese official report.]

[Footnote 2:  Ibid.]

[Footnote 3:  Ibid.]

The party of Japanese met at the rendezvous, to escort the Regent’s palanquin.  At the point of departure Okamoto (one of the Japanese Minister’s two right-hand men) “assembled the whole party outside the gate of the Prine’s (Regent’s) residence, declaring that on entering the palace the ‘fox’ should be dealt with according as exigency might require, the obvious purpose of this declaration being to instigate his followers to murder Her Majesty the Queen."[4] The party proceeding towards Seoul met the Kunrentai troops outside the West Gate and then advanced more rapidly to the palace.