There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 79

< The Knight King (2) >

The people gathered there, both Joseon and Jurchen, couldn’t believe their eyes.

The prince, barely reaching the waist of an adult, was drawing his sword and stabbing a tiger in the neck.

Although the Crown Prince’s clothes were covered in dust and tattered, it only served to highlight this unbelievable feat.

The tiger beneath him was covered in blood, bearing the marks of several sword blows, making it clear that it had been a tremendous battle.

‘His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?’

‘Did the Prince of Joseon really take down a tiger with just a sword!’

Could even Yi Seong-gye, if he were reborn, accomplish something like this?

At an age when he’s only just entered his teens.

– Thump, thump

The hearts of the people pounded.

The Jurchens worship strength.

This includes not only political power but also individual martial prowess as an important factor.

Among the Jurchens, where there was no rigid hierarchy and power was relatively evenly distributed, martial skill was one of the most important virtues of a leader.

“Has someone appeared to succeed the Taesangwang [Great King, referring to Yi Seong-gye]…?”

A Jurchen inadvertently muttered.

Others happened to be thinking the same thing.

===

Damn it, I was just pinned by a tiger, and my whole body is a wreck.

I’m glad this guy was already half-dead before he met me; otherwise, I would be pushing up daisies [a euphemism for being dead].

Anyway, thanks to quickly striking a pose before people rushed over, I was able to create a more impressive image.

‘If I just lie here, dizzy from exhaustion, the guys next to me will think they caught it, right?’

The escort troops just watched.

Of course, they deserve credit for saving me from being crushed to death.

On the way back to the camp, the main topic was naturally the tiger I had caught.

The Jurchens and Joseon soldiers who witnessed my feat constantly retold the story of what they had seen.

It seems ‘slightly’ exaggerated, but it’s only slight. I should allow that much embellishment.

I firmly told the escort troops who had watched the whole thing not to downplay it.

Iribuka, who had sworn brotherhood with me, was also impressed by my bravery.

“I never knew His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was so brave. I thought the Taesangwang had been rejuvenated.”

“Haha, you flatter me. More importantly, didn’t we agree to call each other uncle and nephew?”

“Ah, Your Highness ordered it, but how dare I, as a subject, call Your Highness ‘nephew’ so carelessly?”

Iribuka had also received a Joseon official title, so it’s not an exaggeration to say he was a Joseon subject.

However, I shook my head.

“Since we’ve forged such a valuable relationship, let’s just be uncle and nephew.”

Then Iribuka’s eyes lit up.

“If it were another royal relative, they would have been angry, saying how dare I call myself family with a barbarian, but Your Highness doesn’t show any such prejudice.”

“So, you don’t like it?”

“Ah, no. I was just surprised that you don’t shun the Jurchens.

It is truly the greatest honor to serve someone like you, ······Nephew.”

Iribuka bowed deeply.

Well, there’s always some degree of prejudice in any country, even in modern times, so Iribuka’s reaction isn’t strange.

But I’m someone who’s traveled all over the place from the start.

I naturally have a global perspective.

“It’s nothing, hehe.”

I said, scratching my cheek.

Iribuka looked at the tiger that the escort troops had moved behind me and asked.

“So, what are you going to do with that tiger?”

“Hmm······.”

Of course, I can’t take the whole corpse to Gaegyeong [the capital of Joseon].

“I’m thinking of butchering it here, soaking the bones to make tiger bone wine, and taking the skin as a souvenir. Will you help me?”

“How could I not follow my nephew’s orders? Just leave it to me.”

Iribuka thumped his chest and said.

===

When I confidently presented the tiger skin to Yi Seong-gye, my grandfather was so surprised that his jaw dropped.

“No, where did you get this tiger skin?”

“I caught it myself.”

When I explained the whole story, Yi Seong-gye widened his eyes.

“I almost died catching this guy. You clearly swore to protect me with your lives before coming here.”

I think you swore that in front of my father.

“······Did you know it would turn out like this? I thought the escorts were with you, so they would take care of it.”

Well, it’s also my fault for riding my horse without paying attention to the escorts.

It was an accident that happened because grandfather and grandson were distracted, so we decided to keep quiet about it.

It’s just a matter that would only increase Yi Bang-won’s nagging.

“I’m also at fault.”

“Grandson, I really like you.”

Yi Seong-gye stroked my head.

At that time, the outside became noisy, and Iribuka came in.

“Elder, Mente-mu has arrived.”

“He’s finally here.”

Yi Seong-gye said leisurely.

The cheerful atmosphere in the camp due to the success of the hunt quickly subsided.

“Bring all the tribal chiefs inside. I will greet Mente-mu last.”

===

Mente-mu felt a sense of killing intent from the moment he entered the Joseon army’s camp.

The sharp gazes of the Joseon soldiers that Yi Seong-gye had brought were directed at him.

‘Where did these guys come from?’

Mente-mu thought to himself.

Some of the Joseon soldiers on guard looked similar to those he often saw in Gyeongwon or Gyeongseong, but there was a unit that was on a different level from them.

He was even reminded of the old Gabeolcho [Yi Seong-gye’s elite personal guard] that Yi Seong-gye used to lead.

‘No, it’s different from Gabeolcho.’

Mente-mu swallowed hard.

Gabeolcho was clearly a powerful unit that was unmatched in this northeast region, but the reason for that was the individual martial prowess and ferocity of its members.

However, the Joseon soldiers here didn’t have that feeling at all, but they seemed strong in a different way.

It may have been due to the iron bars they were holding.

If he hadn’t heard about it in advance, he might have thought of it as a club to break people’s skulls.

‘They said lightning came out of that.’

Mente-mu licked his lips.

It was a rumor that his people had spread around in surprise, but he didn’t believe it.

The story of a person wielding lightning was nothing more than nonsense.

So, the fact that lightning came out of it must have been some kind of misunderstanding, but in any case, it seemed to be a powerful weapon.

‘If I could get my hands on that.’

Greed flickered in his eyes.

Among the Jurchen tribes, Mente-mu and Iribuka were showing a little prominence, but they couldn’t stay in this situation forever.

But that’s a matter for the future. First, he must overcome the current crisis.

Mente-mu calmed his pounding heart and entered the camp where Yi Seong-gye was.

===

“It’s been a while, Elder. I am extremely sorry for visiting you so late.”

“What is it? I heard you were sick, but are you feeling better?”

Yi Seong-gye asked in a rather warm tone.

Well, I thought he would scold me as soon as I entered, but it’s unexpected.

Mente-mu was encouraged by the friendly reaction and answered excitedly.

“I’m completely healed. You don’t have to worry.”

“Oh, it must have been a minor illness. Isn’t it a waste that I came all the way here to check on you?”

Yi Seong-gye still had a smiling face, but the atmosphere changed. Mente-mu hurriedly knelt down and bowed his head.

“I am truly sorry for causing you concern! I would like to offer you a gift of apology, so please accept it!”

Coincidentally, what Mente-mu offered was a tiger skin.

Well, the luxury goods that Jurchens would trade are furs, and the best of them is tiger skin.

Yi Seong-gye did not immediately accept the tiger skin that Mente-mu offered.

He stroked his beard once.

“Tiger skin. But it’s small.”

Certainly, what Mente-mu offered was slightly smaller than the tiger I had caught.

But I don’t think it’s enough to nitpick like this.

As expected, Mente-mu bowed his head and said.

“It may not be as good as the Elder’s majesty in catching a great tiger with one arrow, but this is also considerable······.”

“Even my ten-year-old grandson can catch a guy like this!”

Yi Seong-gye shouted, and the guards standing behind him spread out the tiger skin I had caught.

Mente-mu’s gaze was fixed on me, who was sitting next to Yi Seong-gye.

He had an expression of disbelief.

“Did, did the Prince catch that tiger······?”

From the moment he entered, his gaze was only on Yi Seong-gye, not on me.

However, Mente-mu’s face, which met my gaze, was filled with shock.

The Jurchen tribal chiefs standing on both sides were the same.

Some of them had already heard the rumors, but those who had not heard the rumors because they were busy with their own hunts were speechless.

“Such a young person.”

“Isn’t it because the Elder’s love is so great that he gave him the credit?”

“No. I saw it clearly. The sight of him standing on the tiger and stabbing it in the back of the neck with his own hands.”

The murmuring spread.

Yi Seong-gye continued.

“Did you see the muskets that our soldiers were holding when you came in earlier?”

“I, I saw them.”

“My grandson made that too.”

The trace of greed that had lingered in Mente-mu’s eyes was immediately replaced by surprise and fear.

“Are you talking about His Royal Highness the Crown Prince here? He is still young, so even if his strength is like that, how could he do such a thing······.”

“Am I someone who makes false statements?”

Mente-mu had an unbelievable expression, but Yi Seong-gye’s face was more serious than ever.

‘Well, even if you said that, it wouldn’t be strange, to be honest.’

The image of Yi Seong-gye in my head and the image of Yi Seong-gye that the Jurchens see seem to be completely different.

What was even more surprising to me was the following words.

“When I raised an army the other day, it was also my grandson who came up with a plan to defeat them.”

He even mentioned the Jo Sa-ui Rebellion, which was a sensitive topic for him.

“······.”

The camp became quiet.

They know that Yi Seong-gye is not someone who would make jokes by bringing up his own defeat.

“How is it?”

Yi Seong-gye asked.

“Isn’t he good enough to take responsibility for Joseon on his own, even without me?”

Mente-mu quickly rolled his eyes.

He looked at me furtively while prostrating himself and said.

“Having such a bright person as your successor is truly a blessing for the dynasty.”

Then Yi Seong-gye laughed loudly.

“This guy is talking in a way that he’s not even used to. I’d believe he was one of our officials in Gaegyeong.”

“Isn’t it natural since I am also a subject of Joseon?”

A subject of Joseon.

Finally, those words came out of Mente-mu’s mouth.

“I really like you. Come here and receive a drink from me.”

Mente-mu hurriedly walked over on his knees and received the glass.

Yi Seong-gye poured the drink for Mente-mu.

The glass was filled with mare’s milk, which had a foul smell, but Yi Seong-gye continued to tilt the bottle.

Mente-mu didn’t even dare to think about taking the glass away or wiping the spilled mare’s milk.

Soon, Yi Seong-gye, who had poured out all the alcohol, looked down at Mente-mu quietly.

“I hope that loyalty doesn’t change. Gyeongseong Deungcheo Manho [a Jurchen title].”

Yi Seong-gye said.

“Even without me.”

===

The items and quantities of the trade were finally decided.

The Jurchens could take as much salt, draft cattle, and food as they wanted, but they could not achieve the purpose they had subtly hoped for.

Yi Seong-gye knew the size of most of the Jurchens living in this area and limited the trade of ironware such as plow blades accordingly.

But they couldn’t dare to express their dissatisfaction.

“Even if there are quantity restrictions, the trade is unconditionally beneficial to them. As the number of people increases, the power of their tribe also increases.”

“Above all, I guess the warning that Halba-mama [Grandfather] gave was effective.”

Mente-mu, who forms one of the two major powers of the Northeast Jurchens, was intimidated and listened, so how could others dare to say anything different?

“That’s right. As expected, if you just listen to me, you’ll get rice cakes even while you’re sleeping [idiom for good things will come to you].”

Yi Seong-gye was fluttering like a fish in water when he was praised a little.

I wonder when he’ll grow up.

< The Knight King (2) > End