There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 77

Jeongneung.

The tomb of Yi Ja-chun, the father of Yi Seong-gye.

The grounds were neatly maintained, but considering it’s a royal tomb, I expected something more grandiose.

As I was looking around, Yi Seong-gye suddenly pressed down on my head, forcing me into a bow.

“Ah, please, you can just tell me to bow.”

“You should be paying respects to Hwanwang [posthumous name conferred to Yi Ja-chun] quickly. What are you doing?”

I bowed deeply in front of Yi Ja-chun’s tomb.

Glancing to the side, I saw Yi Seong-gye standing there, watching silently.

‘He doesn’t even bow himself.’

I had thought Yi Seong-gye would bow as a son.

My unspoken question was quickly addressed as Yi Seong-gye said with a sentimental air.

“You are the only one among my grandchildren who has come here with me.”

Is that so?

He has many grown grandchildren, so it wouldn’t be strange if he brought them along.

I tilted my head and asked.

“Didn’t you bring even your sons here before this?”

“Not at all after becoming king. Bang-seok [Yi Seong-gye’s youngest son, who was briefly Crown Prince] was taken to Gyeongcheonsa Temple, where the portrait is enshrined, but he never came here to Jeongneung.”

Yi Seong-gye continued.

“So, among all my sons and grandsons, you are the first to bring a descendant here as king.”

Well, I see.

It was a bit out of the blue, but I understood with a generous heart.

It’s natural for old people to become talkative as their energy rises to their mouth [a Korean idiom for becoming more loquacious with age].

Yi Seong-gye asked.

“So, how do you feel?”

“Good.”

“······.”

No, what am I supposed to do when you look at me like that?

Were you expecting a reaction like, ‘I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I cried a lot’?

‘Who would be so happy to visit the tomb of a great-grandfather they’ve never even met?’

In fact, he wasn’t someone I met in this era, and he was someone I didn’t even know existed in modern times, so I couldn’t feel any real emotion.

I forced myself to add.

“I’m so glad to finally pay my respects to my great-grandfather.”

“That’s not what I meant… Haa… Never mind. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Yi Seong-gye shook his head.

I looked at the tomb.

Still, Yi Seong-gye achieved his great enterprise because of this great-grandfather.

If he hadn’t laid the foundation in the Northeast, it wouldn’t have been easy for Yi Seong-gye, who started with relatively little, to come this far.

It would be right to express gratitude for that.

I quietly recited in front of Yi Ja-chun’s tomb.

“I will lead this country, which my great-grandfather sowed, my grandfather cultivated, and my father raised, to be more prosperous. I promise you that much.”

I said that.

“······.”

Yi Seong-gye quietly closed his mouth.

Then he continued.

“I don’t know if you’re quick-witted or just lucky.”

“I make a living with my wits.”

“Indeed!”

Yi Seong-gye scoffed.

Of course, it wasn’t just the Retired King and the Crown Prince who came to pay respects at the tomb.

The officials lined up, starting with the Yeongheung Governor, and the local magnates I met yesterday followed in droves.

They were watching us bow from a distance.

“Now there are few Jongsil [relatives of the royal family] left in the Northeast. Most of the Jeonju Yi clan went south as Jongchin [close relatives of the royal family], and what remains are those who are distant relatives. All that’s left is for the connection to be severed as generations pass.”

“That’s right.”

No Jongchin would abandon Hanyang [present-day Seoul] and Gaeseong [previous capital of Goryeo], the centers of power, to live in Hamgyeong-do.

Not only Yi Seong-gye’s descendants, but also the descendants of his brothers Yi Won-gye and Yi Hwa all went south and settled down.

From the royal family’s point of view, it was dangerous for influential Jongchin to remain in the Northeast, so they encouraged it.

“But there are still many people left, aren’t there?”

Like the Yeongheung Choi clan, Yi Seong-gye’s maternal family, whom I mentioned yesterday.

Or the Qinghae Yi clan, descended from Jurchens, who are the family of Yi Ji-ran [a key general who helped Yi Seong-gye found Joseon]; I heard that many of them remained here.

“You talked with them yesterday and exchanged gifts, right? It may be just one night for them, but it will be an unforgettable connection.”

“Yes, I will cherish my relationship with them.”

I said that seriously, unlike usual.

Yi Seong-gye nodded in satisfaction.

“Yes. It may seem like nothing, but it will be a great help when you manage the country in the future.”

In the future.

Come to think of it, I haven’t told Yi Seong-gye yet.

“I will keep that in mind. But,”

I looked at Yi Seong-gye and asked.

“I need help right now?”

===

I presented Yi Seong-gye with a plan to send the Jurchens out to sea.

Yi Seong-gye’s reaction to that was simple.

“You’re going to build ships and send them out to the distant sea?”

Yi Seong-gye rubbed his forehead.

“You rascal, don’t you know why I had you meet those people? And you’re already trying to take care of your own interests!

Build ships? Do you even know how difficult that is?”

“Taking care of my own interests? I’m saying all this for the future of the Northeast.”

I persuaded Yi Seong-gye step by step.

“Look. At the end of the former dynasty, the Northeast was livable because it was under your protection, Halba Mama [Grandfather]. But after the situation stabilized, other regions have far surpassed us in just 10 years since the founding of the country.

Why is the Northeast so underdeveloped?”

“Well, isn’t it inevitable because the land is barren?”

Yi Seong-gye asked.

“Then we should foster other industries. The fact that not a single rumor of the furnaces that have already spread to Gyeonggi [province surrounding Seoul] has reached north of Cheolryeong [mountain pass], what does that mean?”

The supply of goods is difficult, and transportation is inconvenient.

If this continues, it will be difficult for the people of Hamgyeong-do to avoid falling behind no matter how many years pass.

“The Gaesi [border market] is also one of those measures. Salt, ironware, furs, and horses will be constantly traded, so the Northeast will get a fair share of the benefits.”

But that’s not enough.

“It’s good to have a Gaesi, but shouldn’t we also promote the local products of the Northeast itself?”

I persuaded him like that.

Yi Seong-gye, who is second to none in his affection for his hometown, quickly showed a keen expression.

“Is that so?”

“Fortunately, I heard that the Jurchens had sailing technology that reached as far as Japan.”

“The Jurchens were very adventurous in those days.”

Yi Seong-gye met my eyes and said.

“Well, a lot of time has passed, but the Jurchens are quite good at sailing. Even if the ships are small, they are not afraid of the sea.”

‘And it’s also good to legitimize their status.’

I said that.

“We need to open up trade with Japan. Without going through Tsushima Island.”

I already had a grand plan in my head.

From what I learned when I was in Gaeseong, the reality is that diplomacy and trade with Japan are virtually conducted through Tsushima Island.

However, the main purpose of trade is ultimately to prevent the Wokou [Japanese pirates].

Tsushima Island has few products and is barren, so Joseon has no choice but to accept disadvantageous transactions.

‘If we trade with mainland Japan directly, there will be many advantages in many ways.’

“Then the Tsushima Island guys, who can’t profit from being in the middle, will be dissatisfied?”

“We’ll have to come up with a separate plan for that. Anyway, please help me, Grandfather.”

I said to Yi Seong-gye.

But he stroked his beard for a moment, then said stiffly.

“I’m not going to help you.”

“Yes? I explained that it would be helpful enough for the Northeast, didn’t I?”

Do you not trust your grandson that much?

Yi Seong-gye waved his hand.

“When you first brought up the Gaesi issue, when I asked Baek Dal-won to ask for my order, what did I say?”

“Baek Dal-won is no longer Halba Mama’s vassal, but my vassal, so he must follow my orders…”

I swallowed hard.

Could it be?

“Grandfather, perhaps…”

The people I will negotiate with, no, order, are the local magnates of the Northeast.

I thought it was just a place to get to know them, but do you intend to hand them all over to me?

“Not yet.”

Yi Seong-gye said.

Tch, I spoke too soon.

Yi Seong-gye looked at me with a meaningful expression and said.

“Call Choi Heung-rip and consult with him. That guy has a wide network and, above all, he’s smart.”

“Yes, I understand.”

As I answered coolly, Yi Seong-gye turned his head and muttered something.

“If this works out, then…”

I perked up my ears, but Yi Seong-gye’s words were too quiet to hear.

===

“This Byeoljang [military title], please take a look at my house too!”

“Hey, you. I’m first.”

Yi Cheon’s face was haggard as he was stuck among the local magnates, unable to move.

I only told him to teach them how to make improved furnaces, but Yi Cheon’s craftsmanship was so great that the local magnates wouldn’t let him go.

“Dogam [another title]… I never thought I’d miss Dogam…”

Yi Cheon muttered like that.

“No, shouldn’t you not show off that you’re good at your job?”

“How can I close my mouth when I see so many things wrong?”

This guy is a natural engineer.

After all, Yi Cheon is in the hell of overtime not because of me, but because of himself.

Even if I didn’t exist, it would have happened someday.

‘Of course, of course.’

“Instead, I’ll give you plenty of salary.”

“I don’t have time to use it! I don’t have time!”

That’s your problem.

Anyway, I lifted Yi Cheon out of the clutches of the local magnates and left the place.

Yi Cheon had a look of liberation for a moment, but when my order fell, he despaired, hitting the ground.

“Move to Dancheon and start developing the silver mine.”

I said that.

Yi Cheon screamed and was dragged to Dancheon.

Now, shall I do some work too?

“Baek Sangdanju [merchant leader] has sent the items for trade. Halba Mama, please take a look and give your final approval.”

Yi Seong-gye glanced at the document and said.

“Indeed, it was good to come in person.”

“Is there a problem?”

Baek Dal-won is also a merchant, so he’s quick with calculations and would never do a losing business.

I took the documents from Yi Seong-gye and looked through them.

Looking at the contents to be exchanged at the Gaesi, we were definitely making a profit, never a loss.

“Don’t you know what the problem is?”

I looked at Yi Seong-gye with a puzzled expression.

“They’re asking for too much ironware. For now, it’s all agricultural tools, but even the Jurchens can melt it down and turn it into weapons.”

“I see.”

I quickly looked at the items.

The quantity of salt, ironware, and agricultural oxen was generally large, but the most requested item was plowshares.

“Baek Dal-won is a merchant, but that’s the problem. If there’s a big profit, he doesn’t see other potential issues.

Besides, thanks to the Hanyang ironworks you established, the production of iron has greatly increased, so he must have thought it was a good thing.”

Baek Dal-won negotiated so well that Han Sang [merchant guild] was bound to make a huge profit under these conditions.

Was this a trap?

“Then shall I order Baek Dal-won to negotiate again? Even if we lose a little in terms of profit, we can reduce the amount of ironware traded…”

“No, no. If we look at this deal alone, it’s definitely a profit for Joseon too. Why would we reject such favorable conditions?”

Yi Seong-gye shook his head.

“Then are you going to proceed with the deal as it is?”

I asked.

“First, there’s something to do before that.”

Yi Seong-gye said.

“Put aside everything else, and let’s go to Gyeongwon together.”

Gyeongwon is a Joseon city bordering the Tumen River, and it was the place where the Gaesi was to be held along with Gyeongseong.

“Yes?”

“Then did you come all the way here and try to be indecisive only in the rear? Of course, you have to see the place where the Gaesi will be held.”

I’ve already come to Hamheung, so are we going all the way to the Tumen River?

‘It’s not strange since it’s also Joseon territory.’

Yi Seong-gye’s influence itself had already extended beyond the Tumen River since he was the lord of the Northeast.

In addition, thanks to Yi Ji-ran and Jeong Do-jeon’s efforts to build fortresses after the founding of the country, Joseon’s territory already reached the lower reaches of the Tumen River.

Here, King Sejong completes the 4 counties and 6 garrisons, completing the ‘Korean Peninsula’ that we see in modern times.

“But that side is a border area, so it must be dangerous…”

“Don’t we have those guys?”

Yi Seong-gye pointed to the Training Corps soldiers.

When Yi Seong-gye’s finger touched them, they flinched and straightened their backs.

Then the matchlocks they were carrying on their side clattered.

“The Training Corps that you curse every day?”

“That’s all to tell them to do well.”

But thanks to Yi Seong-gye’s gaslighting, I had long lost faith in the elite status of the Training Corps.

“Surely Bang-won [Yi Seong-gye’s fifth son, known for his ruthlessness] didn’t send them to monitor me? He must have sent them along to be used at times like this.”

Yi Seong-gye patted me on the shoulder and said.

“Stop talking and follow me. I’ll show you how to negotiate.”

End

ⓒ Pitkong