Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 254

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Jjanggeura.

Hello Bam.

254. The Expedition (2)

Whenever Sejong asked about the Dongbuk-myeon, which had been promoted to Hamgil-do, Hwang Hee and Kim Jongseo did their best to answer.

“Are the Jurchens who pledged allegiance following our orders well?”

“Yes. Since pledging allegiance, they have been showing their loyalty to Joseon.”

“What do you think is the reason?”

“It is all thanks to His Majesty’s great virtue.”

Sejong smiled slightly at Hwang Hee’s answer and replied,

“I am grateful for the praise, but I hope you will answer properly. Otherwise, the historians will criticize me, won’t they?”

At Sejong’s words, the eyes of all the officials in Geunjeongjeon turned to the historians. The officials’ glares seemed capable of killing a person with just a glance.

“Huk!”

“Your Majesty! How could we!”

The historians, feeling the weight of the officials’ gazes, immediately prostrated themselves on the floor and pleaded their innocence.

At the historians’ appeal, Sejong turned his head to look into the distance and opened his mouth.

“Well… judging by what you’ve been doing lately…”

The historians immediately understood the situation from Sejong’s vague words. Fortunately, the historians in charge of recording at the moment were veterans.

“Your Majesty! It seems that this happened because the newly appointed historians were too enthusiastic! We will definitely instruct them!”

“We will ensure that Your Majesty does not have to worry!”

At the historians’ answers, Sejong turned his head and looked at them.

“Are you sure?”

“Please put your worries aside!”

“Is that so? Then, I will trust you. Go do your duties.”

“Thank you for your grace!”

Returning to their seats, the historians gritted their teeth.

‘Which bastard!’

‘Which son of a bitch!’

* * *

A fierce struggle had been going on between Sejong and the historians as the reforms progressed. No, it was a continuous struggle that had been going on since the time of Taejo Yi Seong-gye.

It was a struggle between the kings, who wanted to maintain their minimum privacy and dignity, and the historians, who wanted to record everything in writing.

Sejong was no exception. Even when he wanted to contemplate alone or have secret talks with Hyang, the historians would not leave.

Therefore, Sejong had to use his authority to drive the historians away.

And the historians who were driven away would hide behind the door and make every effort to record Sejong and Hyang’s conversation.

In the end, Sejong had to make a request—more like a demand—to the historians.

“It is commendable that you are faithful to your duties. However, too much is not good. At least, you should give me time to contemplate on my own, shouldn’t you?”

At Sejong’s words, the historians firmly refused.

“The monarch is a public figure. We have a duty to record everything about the monarch!”

Sejong gritted his teeth at the historians’ dogmatic answer.

“Is that so? Is that what you’re saying? I understand.”

From then on, a fierce battle—or rather, Sejong’s relentless nagging—began between Sejong and the historians.

The day before the battle, Sejong called the Sangseon [a high-ranking eunuch].

“Sangseon, you will have a hard time from now on, but please prepare some diapers.”

“Yes?”

The next day, Sejong put on diapers under his pants and entered Geunjeongjeon. From then on, the battle began.

Sejong never came down from the throne and conducted state affairs. The only times he came down from the throne were when he went to the dining hall for meals and when he finished the morning assembly and returned to Gangnyeongjeon.

From that time on, the historians and officials were having a hard time.

Two historians and two scribes who wrote the Seungjeongwon Diary [Royal Secretariat Diary] were assigned to Geunjeongjeon to work. The reason for assigning them in pairs was to continue recording even if one person had to leave the seat for urination or other matters.

However, as Sejong began to nag, the historians and scribes had to become stone statues.

Whenever the historians, who were in urgent need of urination, tried to get up from their seats, Sejong’s criticism immediately followed.

“Where are you going?”

“I, I need to pee…”

Sejong made a dumbfounded expression at the historian’s answer.

“Heo, state affairs are continuing without a break, and the historian who should be recording them is leaving his seat?”

“However, this is a physiological phenomenon…”

“I am also staying in my seat.”

“There is another person…”

“Shouldn’t there be two people to cross-verify and make accurate records? Sit down.”

“Yes.”

In that way, Sejong would release the historian only when he was about to burst from holding back his urine.

“Judging by your face, it won’t work. I can’t have you dirtying Geunjeongjeon, so go and take care of it.”

“Thank you for your grace!”

When the historian, who had disappeared with an echo, returned to his seat, Sejong’s nagging continued again.

“How can a man with such a weak bladder take on an important role?”

“I, I am sorry!”

The historian had to bow his head whenever Sejong rebuked him, and the other historians and scribes had to twist their bodies and record it.

The historians’ and scribes’ suffering continued even during meal times.

“Where are you going? How do you know what kind of stories will be exchanged during meal times?”

The historians and scribes, who were heading to the dining hall used by ordinary officials—not the dining hall where Sejong and the officials ate—had to follow Sejong to the dining hall at Sejong’s words.

Arriving at the dining hall, Sejong opened his mouth as if he had thought of something while eating.

“Come to think of it… Chief State Councilor.”

“Yes, please ask.”

Sejong looked at the historians and scribes just as he was about to speak to the Chief State Councilor.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you recording?”

“Yes, yes!”

The historians and scribes had to clear their trays and take out their writing tools.

Sejong leisurely ate his meal and talked with the officials. However, there was absolutely no interruption. Therefore, the historians and scribes had to record while starving throughout the meal.

* * *

This situation continued even after Sejong moved his seat to Gangnyeongjeon.

Sejong, who had read the remaining memorials and the reports on the agenda to be discussed tomorrow, got up from his seat.

“Now, I should go to sleep.”

“Please have a comfortable sleep.”

“Where are you going?”

At Sejong’s question, the historians who were tidying up stopped and looked at Sejong.

“Even while sleeping, I might think of something related to state affairs and get up to handle it, but you’re just going to leave?”

“However…”

“Sit down.”

“Yes, yes…”

In the end, the historians had to sit back down and spend their time aimlessly.

However, the historians were also human. Thanks to Sejong’s trick, the historians had to work from the morning assembly to just before the morning assembly the next day. This was a considerable amount of hard work, and eventually, after some time, the historians began to nod off.

The next morning, the historians were horrified when they opened their eyes.

The dragon robe [the king’s formal attire] that Sejong wore and the blanket he covered himself with were draped over their shoulders.

“Huk!”

When the surprised historian turned his head, Sejong was sitting there looking at them.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Please kill us!”

When the historians prostrated themselves and asked for forgiveness, Sejong replied in a voice that suggested it was nothing.

“What do you mean kill? You can do that if you’re tired. Sangseon.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At Sejong’s command, Sangseon took the dragon robe and blanket that the historians were covering themselves with.

Sejong, wearing the dragon robe that Sangseon had taken, left Gangnyeongjeon.

* * *

Arriving at Geunjeongjeon, Sejong began the morning assembly after ascending the throne.

Sejong, who opened the conversation with various personal matters, looked back at Yi Jik.

“Chief State Councilor.”

“Please ask.”

“It seems that the historians’ work is quite difficult.”

“It is not an easy task. Has something happened?”

“Yesterday, I suddenly woke up while sleeping and saw that the historians were all sleeping on their desks. They looked so pitiful that I covered them with my dragon robe and blanket.”

“Heop!”

The Chief State Councilor and the officials, greatly surprised by Sejong’s words, glared at the historians as if they were going to kill them. Meng Sasung, angered by the outrageous incident, spoke in a stiff voice.

“Such an impious act! We must immediately arrest those impious people and hold them accountable!”

Sejong waved his hand at Meng Sasung’s words.

“No. It is natural for people to sleep when they are tired, so why should I hold them accountable? It happened because they were working hard on their duties, so I will not hold them accountable.”

The officials bowed their heads all at once at Sejong’s words.

“It is a blessing for Joseon that you show such tolerance!”

That’s what they said, but it was obvious that the officials would flock to the Chun Chu Kwan [the Office of Annals] after the morning assembly and nag them.

* * *

The sparks from the battle between Sejong and the historians also flew to the officials.

Since Sejong did not move from Geunjeongjeon, the officials could not leave Geunjeongjeon either. Since they had to be in Geunjeongjeon during the day, they had to do all their work in the evening and at night after leaving Geunjeongjeon.

This was a difficult ordeal for the elderly officials who could retire at any time.

“Why is His Majesty doing this?”

The officials, who were suffering from Sejong’s torture, investigated the cause.

“His Majesty is acting like this because of the historians.”

“I knew it… Gritting teeth!”

“They caused such discord during the reigns of King Taejo and King Taejong… Tsk!”

The officials, who were clicking their tongues or grinding their teeth, immediately flocked to the Chun Chu Kwan and nagged the historians.

“You people! How are you doing your work! Don’t you know flexibility, flexibility!”

“However, the duty of the historian is to record everything!”

However, the historians continued to argue based on principles. At this, the officials clicked their tongues and said one word each.

“Who said not to record? I’m saying that you should record what you need to record, but distinguish between what you must do and what you don’t have to do! How frustrating!”

“However…”

“You people! Who said not to record at all? You must record the official duties and events that His Majesty attends, but just skip the private matters that His Majesty does!”

“Anyway, how can you be so inflexible!”

* * *

The historians’ suffering did not end here.

Following the officials, the historians had to be summoned by Queen Soheon, the Queen Consort.

“I have heard about the events that have been happening in Geunjeongjeon and Gangnyeongjeon these days.”

“We are sorry.”

“I am not unaware of your duties, but I think it would be good to show some flexibility.”

“However…”

“What do you mean however! Do you know how many days it has been since His Majesty visited the Queen’s residence? Seven days, seven days! Don’t say however! If he overworks like that and something shocking happens, will you take responsibility! Huh! Will you take responsibility!”

The historians, who saw Queen Soheon’s famous temper in front of their eyes, had to bow their heads immediately.

“We, we are sorry!”

“Anyway, if anything happens to His Majesty, not only me but also the concubines will not leave you alone! Keep that in mind!”

“Yes, yes!”

The historians, who were scolded by Queen Soheon and came out, looked up at the sky with pale faces.

“Hoo~. Why…”

“If this happens, is the only thing left the Crown Prince’s residence…”

As one of the historians muttered, a eunuch came trotting up and announced.

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants you to come immediately.”

“…I understand.”

Among the historians who were moving their steps following the eunuch, a few muttered softly.

“Should I just submit my resignation?”

Hyang, who saw the historians’ yellow faces as they arrived, muttered inwardly.

‘If I nag them too, these people will all go crazy, right? Their faces already look about 80% crazy… Tsk!’

Hyang, who smacked his lips inwardly, finished briefly.

“Please do well on your own. Well.”

“Yes!”

* * *

In the end, the historians had no choice but to wave the white flag to Sejong. After that, whenever there were various incidents—mostly involving Hyang—Sejong would give them a subtle look, and the historians would tidy up their seats and go outside without saying a word. They didn’t hide behind the door and eavesdrop like before, but instead, they moved far away until a eunuch came to find them.