There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 125

< Beyond the Border (3) >

Jeong Hwa, flustered, looked around and saw the Jurchen chiefs unable to contain their sorrow.

Sweat soaked Jeong Hwa’s back.

He was shocked by the Supreme King’s bizarre behavior, but more than that, he was confirming the stories he had heard since Gyeongsa.

‘The King of Joseon was popular among the Jurchens! But now he’s senile; his luck has run out.’

Jeong Hwa made a cold judgment in his heart.

“How long has he been like this?”

“He’s been showing signs of it little by little since the palace. But now that he’s like this, I can’t overcome my grief.”

Kim Jong-seo said haltingly.

Jeong Hwa guessed that it was a reaction from the bitter heart that saw the king’s tragic downfall.

Munteumu and the others thought the same.

“Sob, Elder!”

The Jurchens burst into tears at the sight of Yi Seong-gye’s condition.

Jeong Hwa shook his head.

“It doesn’t seem like a situation to pay respects, so I, a foreign minister, will step down now.”

“Are you already leaving when you haven’t been here long?”

“State affairs are urgent, so I rode my horse here without rest. I’ve seen everything in the north, so I’m going to step down. I hope the Supreme King recovers completely.”

Jeong Hwa was a very quick-witted person, as befitting a general who had crossed life and death with Emperor Yongle.

Having confirmed everything, there was no reason to stay any longer.

===

Munteumu, who was crying as hard as anyone else, lowered his head and racked his brains.

‘Is the Supreme King really ill with old age?’

Munteumu raised his head slightly and looked at Yi Seong-gye’s face.

“Ugh…”

Yi Seong-gye was drooling.

Munteumu felt strength entering the hand that was on the floor.

‘If I do this right…’

Munteumu rolled his eyes.

Has the shadow of the Supreme King, who had been wielding absolute charisma, come to an end?

Sooner than expected?

If so, this was not the time to be here. He had to get up and return to his tribe.

Munteumu was about to open his mouth to leave.

Yi Seong-gye asked without wiping the drool from his mouth.

“The envoy left?”

“Yes, he left. He’s already crossed the Tumen River. He won’t be coming back now.”

In response to Kim Jong-seo’s answer, Yi Seong-gye quickly got up and straightened his posture.

“Ugh, it’s hard to act.”

‘?!’

Munteumu gasped for a moment.

Looking around, everyone had a surprised expression, but Iribuka said calmly.

“You are truly amazing. This nephew thought the Supreme King was really ill.”

“Haha, would I, Yi Seong-gye, do that?”

Yi Seong-gye said in a clearer voice than anyone else.

“Looking at your faces, it seems like you’ve all been completely fooled?”

Yi Seong-gye asked, looking down at the Jurchen chiefs.

Then they hurriedly replied.

“Ah, no.”

“We have never doubted the Elder’s acuity.”

Yi Seong-gye laughed heartily as if satisfied with the answer.

“Haha, it’s a relief that everyone knew it was acting. If not, there might have been someone who had other thoughts.

Isn’t that right, Dong Man-ho?”

“T-There’s no way that could happen. We are all serving the suzerain state with loyalty.”

Munteumu answered, sweating profusely.

Yi Seong-gye nodded.

“Now that the south of the Mudan River will be completely our land, it will no longer be a suzerain state. From now on, you can call it the home country.

If any problems arise, our officials will come and look into it themselves, so don’t worry. Do you understand?”

‘That’s the problem!’

Munteumu shouted inwardly.

But he couldn’t dare to resist. If he had made a slight mistake, he would have been caught in the Supreme King’s net.

“Now, let’s drink!”

Yi Seong-gye shouted cheerfully, whether he knew his heart or not.

Munteumu let out a long sigh that could not be heard.

Only he would know whether it was relief or lament.

===

“I have completed the boundary demarcation. Joseon’s claim was indeed valid.”

The envoy Jeong Hwa completed the boundary demarcation and respectfully presented the drawn map to Yi Bang-won.

He confirmed that the location of Gongheomjin matched our claim and meant that he would give up the land with this as the boundary.

‘He’s acting like he’s doing us a favor with land that’s not even his.’

But nominally, it was Ming territory, so there was no choice.

Moreover, this meant that we could have everything east of this area.

In other words, the Primorsky Krai was all within our sphere of influence.

For now, it’s only our land on the map, but we can’t even stick a needle in it.

“I am impressed by your wise decision, Great Man.”

Yi Bang-won praised Jeong Hwa greatly.

I was quite surprised that he would give it away so coolly.

“It’s all for the sake of the friendly relationship between the great country and Joseon.”

Jeong Hwa replied.

I nodded.

He gave up a lot, so we have to respond generously.

“It’s all thanks to Eunuch Tae. We in Joseon will also take a big heart and have about 100 people participate in the treasure ship fleet.”

“As many as 100 people?”

This time, Jeong Hwa was startled.

Soon he clasped his hands and expressed his gratitude to me.

“Thank you, I will not forget the help of the Crown Prince.”

Jeong Hwa seemed to be truly moved, thinking that Joseon was sincerely trying to cooperate with him.

‘No, what.’

I’m more grateful.

‘Originally, I was thinking of filling it with 100 people, including civil officials, Joseon artisans, and sailors.’

This was because I was planning to have them participate in the treasure ship fleet to learn how to build and operate ships, understand sea routes, and record the languages, cultures, and trade goods of each region.

But I didn’t bother to say such things.

‘It wouldn’t have been easy to hitch a ride on the expedition fleet if it were another country.’

Is it because the expedition is not focused on trade itself? They consider it a measure to enhance their prestige and are rather grateful for it.

‘So I can take advantage of them like this.’

So, who should I send to Jeong Hwa’s fleet?

I smiled and thought.

Jeong Hwa was also very satisfied and was planning to report to Emperor Yongle as soon as he returned.

Thanks to the generous treatment of the delegation, everyone’s good feelings toward Joseon were greatly heightened.

As we were sending off the delegation, Jeong Hwa suddenly grabbed my collar.

I was embarrassed, but I asked seriously because Jeong Hwa’s face was unusual.

“What’s wrong?”

“This is a matter that cannot be discussed carelessly, so I will only tell you, Your Highness.”

Jeong Hwa said with a very worried face.

“The Supreme King may already know, but…”

Soon, Jeong Hwa’s sincere concern continued.

“Has the Supreme King perhaps become senile?”

“Yes?”

I asked back in bewilderment.

===

The Supreme King’s carriage reached Hanyang.

I was anxiously waiting for Yi Seong-gye to come out of the carriage.

‘He’s become senile.’

Jeong Hwa must have had a lot of worries to tell me even though it could be a very rude remark.

So I anxiously watched the returning carriage.

Yi Seong-gye was riding not even a horse, but a mule.

And Kim Jong-seo was pulling it with an awkward expression.

“What is all that sight?”

I sighed.

I was afraid that other people would see this.

“Quickly, bring the Supreme King inside!”

I hurriedly dragged Yi Seong-gye into Tae Sang Jeon.

“What on earth is going on? Is it true that the Supreme King has lost his mind?”

“T-That is…”

When I asked urgently, Kim Jong-seo glanced at Yi Seong-gye and did not answer.

Yi Seong-gye was picking his nose without paying attention to what was being said about him.

Then he wiped it on Kim Jong-seo’s clothes.

‘Ugh, disgusting.’

Kim Jong-seo couldn’t say anything and was at a loss.

“Grandfather?”

I called Yi Seong-gye, but he was just staring blankly ahead.

“Finally, this day has come!”

I lamented for a long time.

With tears in my eyes, I opened my mouth.

“Grandfather, this is your grandson, Crown Prince Je. Can’t you recognize me?”

When I asked, sobbing, Yi Seong-gye suddenly pointed at me.

“C-Crown Prince? Are you Monino? You should be dead…”

I heard that Monino was the former name of King Woo of Goryeo.

Since he was the Crown Prince of King Gongmin, it was not strange for Yi Seong-gye to come out like this.

I nodded heavily.

“Yes, I am Monino. Ugh… I’m wronged, I’m wronged… General Yi, why did you kill me and my son…?”

As I pretended to strangle my neck with both hands, Yi Seong-gye couldn’t stand it any longer and punched me on the head.

“You bastard, I’ve been watching you; are you making fun of this grandfather?”

Yi Seong-gye shouted, very angry.

“I was just playing along because you were pretending to be senile to me.”

‘You can fool Jeong Hwa, but you can’t fool my eyes.’

He was probably trying to see how I would react.

But there’s always someone better than the one who’s running.

Since you’re playing tricks on me, I have no choice but to return the favor.

“You son of a bitch, thanks to you, I won’t really become senile.”

‘Isn’t that a good thing then?’

I shrugged my shoulders and said.

“In conclusion, I prevented my grandfather from becoming senile. Where else can you find such a filial grandson?”

When I said that, Yi Seong-gye looked at me in disbelief.

“If you were thrown into the water, only your mouth would float.”

“But don’t actually throw me.”

I went to the north and asked how other people were doing.

“Choi Heung-rip is having a great time. And so are the others. It’s like the Jurchens have to be robbed.”

It seemed that they were accumulating experience by using the route through Tsushima Island.

“They need to be more skilled.”

There was nothing particularly special about the news from Yejin-gu.

Next, I asked about the recent situation of the monks who had been dumped in the north.

“They’re quite good. In places like Hunchun, hundreds of Jurchens came to listen to the sermon.”

As expected, they were monks who had been reborn as new people through labor re-education.

They are only devoted to spreading Buddhism diligently.

‘They are also faithfully following our control.’

If they take root deeply like this, they will become a local base that periodically provides us with intelligence.

It was not only the common Jurchens who believed in Buddhism.

Chiefs like Iribuka are also diligently offering Buddhist prayers.

“That…”

I opened my mouth for a moment.

“How is Bul-no doing?”

I didn’t really want to pay attention to him, but since my uncle thought of him as his son, I had no choice but to ask about his situation.

“Is he perhaps talking about being a royal descendant or something?”

“If that happens, the Northeast Command will immediately arrest him and take care of him. Slice.”

Yi Seong-gye said.

“Besides, isn’t he from Bang-gwa’s bloodline? It’s a bit difficult to plot anything.”

“Ah.”

He doesn’t even have a presence in his hometown, the Northeast Command.

What on earth happened to the King?

“His behavior still seems to be a mess.”

“I’m glad he’s doing well anyway.”

He’s doing well as long as he doesn’t cause treason and doesn’t say unnecessary things.

“Well…?”

Yi Seong-gye trailed off, but I soon erased his existence from my mind.

===

The envoy who came for the boundary demarcation problem almost accepted our claim, so Emperor Yongle’s approval soon fell.

The imperial edict came that all land south of Gongheomjin would be recognized as Joseon territory, and the Jurchens living in that land would also be made Joseon’s subjects.

In other words, my entry into the court was confirmed by this.

“It seems like you can go as this year’s Seongjeolsa (聖節使, Envoy for the Emperor’s Birthday).”

I nodded.

There’s no reason to drag it out when I’ve received everything I need to receive. That will only incur Emperor Yongle’s wrath.

‘In the first place, if our people want to participate in the treasure ship fleet, they have to go to Ming now to adapt.’

I looked around the officials of Hanseongbu.

“Now we have to prepare to enter the court.”

I continued.

“Who will go to Ming with me?”

< Beyond the Border (3) > End

ⓒ Pitkong