There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 127

In the end, my mother and I couldn’t bridge our differences.

‘I misspoke.’

Rather than bridging our differences, I was outright scolded.

‘Not only you, but you’re dragging your younger sibling into this too?’

‘He said he wanted to go!’

I protested, but Queen Wongyeong still looked at me with suspicion.

When I tried to bring in Grand Prince Chungnyeong to mediate, Yi Seong-gye clicked his tongue.

“When her husband started a rebellion, she encouraged him even to the point of providing armor, but now she’s worried that her children might get hurt on a long journey.”

“Because they are her children, not her husband.”

Blood is thicker than water.

A husband is someone else’s child, but sons are her own children, so there’s bound to be a difference.

Anyway, the Grand King keeps bringing up the story of his daughter-in-law putting on armor. [Referring to a past event where Queen Wongyeong supported her husband’s rebellion.]

Does he have a lot of pent-up feelings?

“Shall I tell her? If I speak through Wonbin, the Queen will understand.”

Yi Seong-gye said.

“Please don’t. It will only make her angrier.”

Heaven and earth, I am the only one. [An expression meaning ‘I’m the only one who understands this situation’.]

Born as the daughter of the eminent Yeoheung Min clan, a family of great prestige, and rising to the position of Queen, would my mother listen to the advice of a Grand King’s concubine?

Especially since their relationship isn’t very good to begin with.

“Chungnyeong will take care of everything.”

I firmly believed it.

He was a child who was receiving favor for his unique intelligence, even if not as much as me.

Wouldn’t he be persuading my mother with his bright eyes right now?

‘Especially since King Sejong is famous for verbally abusing his subjects.’

In terms of verbal sparring, he would be one of the most capable figures in Korean history.

I wonder what logic he is using to persuade Mother.

Curious, I peeked into the Queen’s residence.

– Thud!

I hurriedly closed the door.

Then, I slightly opened the door again to look inside.

The scene I just saw hadn’t changed.

“Waaah, I’m going!”

‘What on earth is he doing…’

I covered my mouth with my hand and was shocked.

“I’ll go on a hunger strike if you don’t let me go!”

Grand Prince Chungnyeong was literally throwing a tantrum and rolling on the floor.

Seeing the youngest, who always acted so smart, behaving like this, Queen Wongyeong was flustered.

“G, Grand Prince! What are you doing! Maintain your dignity!”

She seemed so dumbfounded that she couldn’t even bring out the switch [Corporal punishment tool].

“Let me goooo!”

Queen Wongyeong was at a loss, wearing a truly perplexed expression.

‘I forgot.’

Before he was King Sejong.

He was also a child of our family.

===

In the end, Queen Wongyeong raised both hands in surrender.

I think she decided that continuing to watch such an unsightly scene wouldn’t be good for the child she was carrying.

‘Scary guy.’

If he even thought about that and acted, he truly deserves to be called a master strategist…

With 100 more people added, the envoy procession was incredibly long compared to usual.

Some from Hanseong-bu [Capital Administration], some from Hansang [Merchants in the capital], some from the Giiin [Military units], some from the Military Supplies Command…

I had a feeling that just moving these people would be a considerable struggle.

“Why me, of all people…”

Hwanghee grumbled, but his complaints quickly disappeared when I threatened to send him on the Boseondan [Treasure Fleet voyages].

No matter how great Hwanghee was, he didn’t seem to want to explore Southeast Asia and Africa with the Ming expedition.

Standing in front of the concrete walls of Hanyang [Old name of Seoul], I said goodbye to my family who had come out to see me off.

“Take care of yourself.”

Yi Bang-won said solemnly, and Queen Wongyeong looked at me with eyes that said, ‘You’re really giving your mother a hard time?’ before wiping away her tears.

“Buy something delicious…”

Uncle Yi Bang-gwa sniffed, flaring his nostrils, regardless of what his sister-in-law was doing.

I was about to leave the capital after saying goodbye to my family.

A crowd of people gathered somewhere and shouted at me.

“Waaaaah!”

“Crown Prince!”

“Have a safe trip!”

It was the people.

“Crown Prince! We’ll be waiting!”

They had gathered to see me off after hearing that I was leaving Hanyang.

Yi Seong-gye looked at them and said.

“It seems you’ve gained quite a bit of popularity.”

“Is that so?”

It wouldn’t be easy to gather such a crowd.

Well, it’s probably thanks to my hard work.

“Thanks to you, the number of people mobilized for labor has decreased, and we can spend the winter days warmly. They can’t help but like you.”

Plus, I gave them a sense of satisfaction by publicly shaming the Japanese pirates.

‘So, the things I’ve been doing weren’t meaningless.’

Something touching welled up inside me.

===

However, as soon as I left the capital, that feeling vanished like a bubble.

“How long will it take to get to Nanjing?”

“At least two months.”

‘Damn it, it takes so long.’

I crossed my arms.

I wonder when I’ll ever get back.

I sighed, but that didn’t make my steps any faster.

Next to me, Yi Seong-gye was hugging and comforting Do.

He said he would escort me to the Yalu River himself, but no matter how I thought about it, it just seemed like an excuse for an outing.

“Look at this guy. He understands everything I teach him.”

“Hehe.”

Originally, Yi Seong-gye didn’t have much interest in his other grandchildren, but recently, his affection has been pouring out on my younger siblings as well.

It’s all thanks to me.

As I was feeling proud, Yi Seong-gye stroked Chungnyeong’s face and said.

“You must not become like your brother.”

At Yi Seong-gye’s words, I retorted.

“What’s wrong with me?”

I’m trying so hard to instill the image of a wonderful brother in him, but instead of helping, you’re saying that.

“You should respect your brother so that you can have good brotherly affection. Can’t you just say, ‘Listen to your brother’?”

“Even if I tell you to get along, your father and uncles don’t even pretend to listen. Do you think you will listen?”

I have nothing to say to that.

Yi Seong-gye, like a warrior, lifted Chungnyeong up with one hand.

I barely managed to get him out of his ball-like physique, but he was still heavy.

“It’s good to have a plump body. A man must eat well and grow well.”

“Right?”

Do seemed to be filled with energy at his grandfather’s words.

‘Look at that little rascal!’

He just stuck his tongue out at me.

‘The tower I built is collapsing.’

I brainwashed him that if he doesn’t listen to me, he’ll suffer from all sorts of diseases when he grows up.

I didn’t expect Yi Seong-gye’s interference.

“We’ve arrived at the Yalu River, so please go back now.”

I spoke bluntly to Yi Seong-gye, thinking that I shouldn’t let him follow any further.

Most of the Training Garrison troops were also scheduled to return from here.

“Already? The security in Dongpalcham is very dangerous.”

It was an area where the administrative power of the Ming Dynasty didn’t fully reach, and bandits and Jurchens frequently appeared.

“But there’s nothing we can do about it.”

It was obvious that a dispute with Ming would arise if a formal army crossed over.

“Anyway, it’s only a stone’s throw from here to Liaoyang.”

After that, the Ming Dynasty maintains security, so there’s nothing to worry about.

“Where are you going after that?”

“I’m going down through Beiping [Modern Beijing]. It used to be the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, so I’m going to look around and buy books.”

And I was planning to go down the Grand Canal and get various seeds of plants and animals.

‘I’ve been researching hard for this moment.’

I squeezed the envoys who had been there before to get all sorts of information.

It’s an envoy trip, so I have to extract everything I can.

“Anyway, it will take a long time to go to Ming. Until then, don’t cry about not having grandchildren, listen to Father well, and eat well.”

I urged him.

“You rascal, what do you take me for!”

Yi Seong-gye flared up.

‘Then Grandpa is a child.’

Wasn’t the Grand King the perfect example of someone who becomes like a child when they get old?

“Go back now.”

Yi Seong-gye stared at me as I waved him to go back.

Then he said.

“Crown Prince.”

“Yes?”

“Take this.”

Yi Seong-gye took something out of his pocket and threw it.

– Thud

I caught the flying object, and it was just an ordinary piece of wood. It had a slightly blackish tint, though.

“What is this?”

“It’s called Byeokjokmok (霹棗木) [A jujube tree struck by lightning].”

Yi Seong-gye said.

Since ancient times, there has been a belief that it has strong yang energy and can ward off ghosts.

Of course, as a rational and reasonable modern person, I didn’t really believe it.

“Hey, this is all superstition.”

I said, trying to push away the Byeokjokmok without accepting it.

Then Yi Seong-gye got angry.

“You rascal, superstition?”

“If it’s not superstition, then what is it?”

“Byeokjokmok is the hardest of all woods. You never know what might happen. Keep it in your pocket.”

At Yi Seong-gye’s words, I reluctantly accepted it.

“Not there.”

Yi Seong-gye took the piece of Byeokjokmok and put it in the pocket on my chest.

“Always keep it in this spot. Just in case.”

“Yes? Why?”

“It’s useful.”

I don’t know why, but Yi Seong-gye was coming on so strong that I nodded in agreement.

No matter how I thought about it, it seemed like an unnecessary worry.

However, Yi Seong-gye’s face had a look of concern, so I couldn’t recklessly refuse.

“Did you get it on purpose?”

“Didn’t lightning strike the East Palace [Residence of the Crown Prince] last time? I picked it up there.”

Ah, that’s right.

Since I first set up a lightning rod in Gaeseong, I had installed a lightning rod in the East Palace even after moving the capital to Hanyang.

Lightning struck there often, so it would have been easy to obtain.

“Anyway, thank you.”

It’s not a big gift, but a gift is a gift.

I thanked Yi Seong-gye.

Yi Seong-gye said with an awkward face.

“When you leave the house, you have seven enemies. Don’t be reckless and be careful.”

“Hey, am I someone who would die easily?”

I retorted.

“Well, even Yeomra [King of the Underworld] would get sick of you and send you back to this world.”

Is that a compliment or an insult?

I shook hands with Yi Seong-gye.

“Grandpa, I’ll be back!”

Do also waved to the Grand King.

The mountains and rivers of Ming were welcoming us.

===

Nanjing Imperial Palace.

The place where the Ming Emperor, who governs the four corners of the world, resides.

Not to mention governing tens of thousands of miles of territory, diplomatic issues such as preparing the Boseondan to be sent to the ocean and discussing the change of dynasty in Vietnam were raging like a storm.

The biggest topic was the Crown Prince of Joseon’s visit.

Joseon is the number one vassal state of Ming.

The fact that its successor was personally entering Nanjing was causing Ming to be on high alert.

However, this was a matter to be discussed in the main hall (正殿) [Main hall of the palace], where state affairs were decided, and behind it, in the harem, there was always one thing that was hotly debated.

It was the Emperor’s favor.

The Yongle Emperor was still going through a midlife crisis, but the competition for favor within the harem was becoming even more fierce.

Naturally, the value of Baekjabon, a mysterious cosmetic from Joseon, was only increasing.

Everyone residing in this imperial palace had a foot in this battle, but there was only one person.

There was someone who stepped back from all the power struggles and simply watched.

“How foolish. Why are they so desperate for men that they put on things like that?”

The girl asked, resting her chin on her hand.

Then, a court lady who was attending to her smiled lightly and replied.

“You will understand when you grow up, Imperial Sister (皇妹) [Term for Emperor’s younger sister].”

The girl looked at the scene where the concubines she encountered in the back garden were subtly fighting.

They were both the Yongle Emperor’s fifteenth or sixteenth concubine, and they were comparing themselves to each other.

It was obvious that they were exchanging harsh words, saying things like, ‘I got Baekjabon,’ or ‘Someone couldn’t get it, so the Emperor isn’t looking for them.’

The girl’s eyes sank.

“Did my mother act like that too?”

“······.”

The court ladies couldn’t answer the girl’s question.

“A good excuse has been created in the Imperial Palace, which is already never without wind [Always full of rumors and gossip].”

“It’s such a famous item, Imperial Sister.”

“If I meet the guy who made something like Baekjabon,”

Princess Bokyeong, Zhu Sohwa, frowned her beautiful eyebrows and swung her fist adorably.

“I’ll have to punch him.”

End

ⓒ Pitkong