There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 43

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“Why would that guy be looking for me?”

I was the one who turned Oh Jong-soo into that state.

He may have provoked it first, but we weren’t exactly on good terms, so even if he had fallen from grace, there was no reason for him to come looking for me.

‘Could it be a suicide attack, wanting us both to die together?’

The assassination of the Crown Prince, with the title of an acquaintance with a grudge, flashed before my eyes.

‘He’s already ruined himself and has nothing left, what would I even gain from meeting him?’

I said to Baek Dal-won.

“At least, Merchant Lord Baek should take care of it.”

Baek Dal-won would listen and handle whatever he had to say.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I shrugged and went back to my work.

There was still so much to do.

===

A meeting of the Gaegyeong faction ministers.

Initially, it was a gathering of the established powers of Gaeseong to resolutely prevent the relocation of the capital, but as the relocation to Hanyang was firmly decided and their plans repeatedly failed, their power had greatly diminished.

‘When I went to Hanyang last time, it was becoming a completely different world?’

‘It stings to move the roots of the family, but what can we do? Hanyang seems to be built magnificently, so we have no choice but to move earlier than others.’

“Damn it, they’re like traitors!”

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel muttered.

“We agreed to be together through thick and thin, but now they’re saying Hanyang seems ‘gwaenchanha’ [okay/ 괜찮아 in Korean] and backing out.”

“They probably mean that it’s impossible to reverse the construction in Hanyang now.”

They were dissatisfied with that itself, but they understood.

However, the conflict with the Crown Prince triggered by that incident had not yet been resolved.

The things the Crown Prince was doing were causing them dissatisfaction one by one.

“Isn’t the Crown Prince doing too many things these days?”

“Goodness, he’s indulging in trivial skills, and His Majesty is even subtly encouraging him. What kind of country is this? Isn’t this a country that has established Neo-Confucianism as its national policy?”

“That’s right. He even refuses to study, arrests innocent people and puts them in caves, and focuses on the work of lowly artisans. How can such a person be the Crown Prince? I can’t stand it.”

“If you can’t stand it, are you saying we should suggest deposing the Crown Prince?”

When someone threw that out, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel’s face hardened.

The one who brought it up was the Censor of the Office of the Inspector General, who had been criticizing the Crown Prince’s actions.

“Depose the Crown Prince?”

“Oh, is this person crazy?”

It was almost treasonous.

They had many complaints about the Crown Prince, but they didn’t want to do anything that would cost them their heads.

Didn’t they see that Songsang Oh Jong-soo, whom they tried to use, was immediately crushed?

The people who gathered tried to avoid him, but the Censor said.

“What’s wrong with that? Has there ever been anyone in this country who inherited the throne as the eldest son?”

“Tsk, tsk, don’t you know that a subject discussing the Crown Prince’s position is almost treasonous?”

The people flinched and stepped back.

How scary is His Majesty that they’re talking about deposing the Crown Prince?

“No, I’m not saying we should depose the Crown Prince.”

The Censor said.

He clenched his fist tightly with a firm resolution.

“It is a foregone conclusion that the country will be peaceful only when a person with the qualities of a true monarch succeeds His Majesty.

Wouldn’t that be the case even in the Great Country [China]?”

“Well, I suppose so.”

“Isn’t it said that envoys from the Great Country will be coming soon for investiture [formal appointment] ?”

“I heard so.”

Yi Bang-won had already received investiture from Jianwen Emperor, but that Jianwen Emperor disappeared into the fire set by his uncle and it is not known whether he is dead or alive.

So, Joseon returned the existing edict and seal to the Yongle Emperor, who had newly ascended the throne, and this time, the envoy was coming to bestow the edict given by the Yongle Emperor.

It was obvious that the envoy coming this time would show off his power to an enormous extent in order to prevent the Yongle Emperor from being seen as an easy person.

In other words, it meant that they would be cracking down on Joseon.

The Censor, whose thoughts reached this point, rolled up his sleeves and said.

“China is truly a country of civilization, so if they see the Crown Prince’s reckless behavior, they will not stand still.

Since the investiture of this country cannot be done without the permission of the Great Ming, if the envoy conveys the Crown Prince’s recklessness to the Great Country at this time, how would the Emperor willingly allow the Crown Prince’s investiture?”

The investiture that takes place in tributary states is nominally a post-approval method, but the Ming Dynasty often delayed investiture and acted unreasonably from the beginning of the dynasty.

Even though they have to go through a difficult power struggle to receive investiture, how can the same person receive investiture to the envoy’s liking?

Even if Yi Je was invested as Crown Prince, he was nothing without the Emperor’s recognition.

“There are officials from the Ministry of Rites here, so please subtly persuade the envoy. It is absolutely necessary for the future of this country!”

The eyes of the Censor of the Office of the Inspector General were burning fiercely.

As a minister of Joseon, which had established Confucianism as its national policy, he could not tolerate the Crown Prince’s actions.

===

“Envoys from the Ming Dynasty are coming?”

When I returned to Gaeseong in a hurry at that word, Yi Bang-won nodded.

“Yes. The envoy said that he would come to issue a new edict and seal and discuss various diplomatic issues. Although you hold an important position, it is unacceptable not to see the envoy’s face.

Since you will soon receive the Crown Prince’s investiture anyway, how about going to Yeongbin Hall this time to greet the envoy?”

Yi Bang-won straightened his shoulders and said.

“The envoy of the Great Country must also know our son’s intelligence. If you just meet him, he will be impressed by you at once and strongly recommend investiture to the Emperor.”

“Eh.”

I acknowledge my fatal charm, but would an envoy of a country really do that?

‘Here we go again.’

I shook my head and thought.

Even a hedgehog thinks its own baby is pretty, when will that fool be fixed?

===

The eunuch, Tae-gam Hwang-eom, looked around with a solemn expression.

“Hehe, what a small country.”

“Of course, it cannot be compared to the Central Plains [historical region of China], sir. Hehehe. Isn’t that why we call ourselves ‘Sobang’ (小邦) [small country]?”

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, who had been greeting the envoy from afar and accompanying him, rubbed his hands together to please Hwang-eom.

“The country’s form is not yet properly established, so it is also chaotic. Tsk, tsk, will you be able to properly match the tribute that His Majesty the Emperor demands?”

“The people of Joseon are living only by the grace of His Majesty the Emperor, so how can they not follow the orders of the Great Country? Our King will follow the imperial command with all his heart.”

“Hmm, that’s right. Joseon is said to be a country of civilization, and truly knows the principles of serving the great, haha!”

At Hwang-eom’s words, the Joseon officials laughed to match his mood.

“Whether the situation is difficult or hard, how can we neglect the duty of serving the superior country? The same is true of our Joseon, both high and low.”

The tongue turned smoothly.

“Hehe, that’s a very commendable thing.”

Hwang-eom burst into a hearty laugh.

“I have seen His Majesty the King of Joseon when he entered the Great Country, but I have never heard of the prince who is said to be newly requesting to be the Crown Prince this time. What kind of person is he?”

What a great opportunity this is.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, who was next to him, stepped forward quickly.

“He is talented in making things, but because he has neglected his studies, he may be clumsy in the etiquette of serving the superior country.”

When he mentioned etiquette, Hwang-eom puffed up his chest.

“I heard that the Joseon prince is intelligent, but hmm, I’m very disappointed. But he won’t refuse the demands of the superior country, will he?”

“Of course not. Even the Crown Prince will have that much sense.”

No matter how much or what they demand, they will have to please the envoy.

If that happens, it would be even better.

Hwang-eom smiled with satisfaction as he recalled the demands of the Yongle Emperor that he had brought this time.

===

“Ugh, this is boring.”

I said while waiting for Hwang-eom to come.

In the distance, I saw a fat man riding a horse.

However, even though I, the Crown Prince, came out to greet him in person, he did not get off the horse.

‘This guy······.’

It was said that the Ming Dynasty envoys’ noses were originally reaching the sky [arrogant], and that was really the case.

‘Besides, he said that he would be more focused on cracking down this time.’

According to Yi Bang-won’s words, since Yongle Emperor sent the envoy for the first time, he would show off all the power he had.

‘But if we get through this crisis, your Crown Prince’s investiture will be easier, and our Joseon can also establish a friendly relationship with the new Emperor.’

I understood, but my insides were boiling.

Hwang-eom got off the horse with support only when he came right in front of me.

“Thank you for your hard work on the way here.”

When I greeted him like that, Hwang-eom laughed loudly.

“Ah, what hard work is there when the country is so small that it doesn’t take long to come here, haha. Isn’t that so?”

“Ha, hahaha.”

When Hwang-eom spoke, the ministers laughed along.

I glared at them.

‘Laughing?’

Even if it’s Hwang-eom, shouldn’t you not be laughing?

At my sharp gaze, the ministers immediately lowered the corners of their mouths.

“Ah, yes. Ming Dynasty has such a large land, so that could be the case.”

That damn Great Country pride.

I played along once.

‘Bragging. No matter how small the Joseon land is, it would have been exhausting to move with that bulk.’

I chewed out Hwang-eom like that in my mind.

“How was the scenery on the way here?”

“There was not much to see in a small country.”

‘This bastard keeps saying small country, small country.’

A guy with no balls.

Hwang-eom didn’t stop there and rubbed salt in the wound.

“As an envoy, let me give you a word of advice. Joseon should not be proud of its narrow territory, but should make it a strength for many scholars to diligently learn the culture of the Central Plains and imitate China.

I saw scholars reading books on the way here, and it was beautiful to see that they had excellently learned the manners of the Central Plains.

I heard that the Crown Prince does not study very hard, but if you want to emulate China, the king must take the lead and devote himself to it.”

Then, the faces of the people gathered around hardened.

It was natural because he was rudely talking to the Crown Prince.

‘Is this also part of cracking down?’

Whether Hwang-eom is crazy or it’s a highly calculated provocation.

Anyway, I only had one thing to say.

“Well, I can’t sit and look at books for a long time due to my physical structure. If I sit for a long time, my lower body gets pressured.”

Then, I looked at Hwang-eom and asked.

“Ah, Tae-gam [eunuch] probably doesn’t know about that.”

Hwang-eom’s face turned red and blue in an instant.

The greatest insult to a eunuch is not having balls, so it was a natural thing to happen.

“Ahem!”

Hwang-eom was furious, but he couldn’t say anything and changed the subject.

“This time, there was a special order from the Emperor for Joseon to offer tribute. I will deliver it to Your Highness, so please prepare it without delay.”

“If there is anything the Great Country needs, Sobang [small country] should provide it.”

I said sarcastically.

“Please send 100 concubines and eunuchs each, 1,000 horses, 1,000 taels [unit of weight] of gold and silver, and 200 white porcelain pieces.”

More than I thought.

It was a much higher number compared to what Jianwen Emperor had demanded.

However, Hwang-eom’s words were not the end.

“Ah, and I heard that Joseon made a weapon called a matchlock.”

I tried not to show my surprised feelings on the outside.

‘How does this guy know about the matchlock?’

Who the hell leaked that secret?

It’s not even properly supplied to the entire army yet, so the rumor must have spread in Gaeseong.

Hwang-eom said, puffing out his chest.

“If there is something good, it is natural to offer it to the Emperor. Even if the Emperor is very interested in foreign affairs, I would like to see a demonstration······.”

I twisted the corners of my mouth at Hwang-eom’s words.

Dare to drool over my invention?

I smiled and said.

“You’re interested in matchlocks, that’s good. I’ll show you.”

Go eat shit.

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