There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 246

“Hey, No-boon.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Come to think of it, was Ttaeng-gu in the stable earlier?”

I don’t think I saw him when I came in.

No-boon peeked outside to check and replied with a pale face.

“Ttaeng-gu… he has disappeared, Your Highness.”

As the Crown Prince’s horse, his disappearance without a word naturally terrified No-boon.

He must have assumed either he was stolen or escaped.

However, having just heard from Ju So-hwa that my two younger brothers headed to the Bureau of Horses, I rubbed my forehead.

“It’s those guys.”

I wonder what prank they’re planning to pull by taking him.

As I jumped up and started putting on my socks, Ju So-hwa asked in surprise.

“Where are you going without finishing your meal?”

“I’m done eating.”

Ttaeng-gu may be another mouth to feed, but that doesn’t mean they can do whatever they want.

Because he’s my horse.

“We were going to play Jenga!”

“Later, after I come back!”

Ju So-hwa’s Jenga skills are terrible.

So, she can practice alone until I return.

“Let’s go to the Bureau of Horses!”

I shouted to No-boon.

===

Contrary to Crown Prince Lee Je’s assumption, the two Grand Princes didn’t take Ttaeng-gu out for a prank.

Their abduction of Ttaeng-gu was an act of boundless goodwill.

“His Highness only takes him for a walk once a day and doesn’t pay much attention to Ttaeng-gu, so we should bring him out.”

“Wouldn’t this be enough to repay the horse’s grace?”

Both Grand Prince Hyo-ryeong and Grand Prince Chung-nyeong had great interest in Ttaeng-gu, who was said to have the blood of a dragon horse.

Grand Prince Hyo-ryeong, befitting his reputation as a devout believer in history, believed that the divine power inherent in the dragon horse’s blood protected him from smallpox.

Even noble princes could die from smallpox just like commoners.

If Buddha hadn’t sent His Highness the dragon horse, even Grand Prince Hyo-ryeong couldn’t have guaranteed he would avoid smallpox.

Grand Prince Chung-nyeong, who had learned about the detailed principles of horse smallpox, was a bit more rational, but he was no less grateful to Ttaeng-gu.

How many people would have died if smallpox had spread from the Mongolian horses in the Bureau of Horses to Ttaeng-gu!

Thus, they discussed giving Ttaeng-gu a belated gift.

However, since all they knew about horses was the carrots their older brother gave him as food, they had no choice but to seek advice from someone else.

“What… do horses like…?”

When they asked their great-uncle Lee Bang-gwa, who claimed to be a horse expert, the Retired King pondered for a moment and replied.

“A mare…”

“A mare?”

“Yes… a mare…”

As expected of a member of the Lee family, known for their lust, the answer was clear.

Indeed, what meaning would wealth or power have to a horse?

If you feed them delicious food and give them a girlfriend, wouldn’t that be the ultimate pleasure they could enjoy in their horse life?

The two Grand Princes of the Lee family deeply sympathized with their great-uncle’s words.

“So, we came out to show Ttaeng-gu a life of pleasure.”

Grand Prince Lee Bo, Hyo-ryeong, said to the Bureau of Horses officials, who were surprised to see the Crown Prince’s horse being taken away.

Who could refuse the Grand Princes’ orders?

– Neigh!

As mares imported from Tae-nyeong Garrison and Bok-yeo Garrison were lined up, Ttaeng-gu snorted fiercely.

Although he was still a foal, Ttaeng-gu had been eating and growing well since entering the East Palace [the Crown Prince’s residence].

Above all, he inherited the bloodline of his mother, who was caught only after Great Master Naong intervened as a tyrant in Yeoju, so his physique itself was as robust as any adult.

Encouraged by the two Grand Princes, Ttaeng-gu walked proudly towards the mares.

“Neigh!”

– Thwack!

However, a moment later.

A mare’s hind hoof flew at Ttaeng-gu, who was awkwardly attempting to mate.

“Hee-hee!”

Ttaeng-gu saw stars.

Ttaeng-gu, who had been watching carefully, approached another horse and tried again, but the result was the same.

“Oh dear, what’s going on!”

The Grand Princes lamented.

Ttaeng-gu’s body had grown, but his temperament was, to put it nicely, gentle, and to be honest, somewhat foolish.

In the eyes of the Mongolian mares who had frolicked in the steppes, Ttaeng-gu’s wildness was truly at the level of a child.

He was actually a foal, so he was a child, but as the son of a dragon horse who once ruled Yeoju, there was no greater humiliation than this.

Dejected, Ttaeng-gu avoided the mares and sat down in a corner.

“You fool, what are you doing lying there! You have to keep trying!”

“Ttaeng-gu isn’t mating properly! Help him right away… Huh?”

As the Bureau of Horses officials were wearing troubled expressions at the two Grand Princes’ request, a shadow fell over their faces.

Upon confirming who had come, the Grand Princes’ expressions rapidly hardened, while the faces of the Bureau of Horses officials brightened.

“Y-Your Highness!”

“So, what is all this about?”

===

How dare these guys take out my personal horse without permission?

“Hing.”

The two of them clutched their heads and made pitiful faces.

I only pretended to punch them, but they were scared.

“Ttaeng-gu is old enough, but he hasn’t had any offspring yet, so you came out to set him up on a blind date?”

As expected of Confucian boys, they’re concerned that even horses should continue their lineage.

Even though they don’t have children themselves.

‘But this guy is still a foal.’

When the time comes, I’ll take care of it.

Still, it’s commendable that they’re concerned about managing my beloved horse’s breeding. I’ll consider it the same as taking him to a car center instead of me.

Looking at their appearance, it seems like they got ripped off instead of getting him fixed.

“Were there any results?”

“The Bureau of Horses people said that Ttaeng-gu is so gentle that the mares don’t seem to like him very much.”

Looking at his swollen face, it seems that’s the case.

“I thought so.”

I shook my head and approached Ttaeng-gu.

Ttaeng-gu, who had been sitting dejectedly until just now, wagged his tail and greeted me, happy that his owner had come.

‘Are you a dog?’

We could give up today and look for another opportunity later, but since I, his owner, have stepped in, I can’t show them that we’re going back empty-handed.

“Having offspring doesn’t necessarily mean you have to perform the act.”

I said that.

“?”

Stupid Ttaeng-gu tilted his head, not knowing what I was talking about.

I stroked Ttaeng-gu’s head and thought.

In the end, the important thing is the result.

If the process is the problem, then we can just skip it.

‘Since he’s the son of a horse called a dragon horse, his bloodline must be top-notch.’

Like begets like.

Ttaeng-gu’s intelligence and personality were probably inherited from the other side, but his mother was definitely the strongest horse I’ve ever seen.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure this guy can continue his lineage today.”

“Ah, no, it’s not about the lineage, but about showing him a life of pleasure…”

Hyo-ryeong tried to say something, but Chung-nyeong quickly stopped him.

It seemed like he was going to say something important.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

Because I just had an amazing idea.

===

The origins of artificial insemination can be traced back to 14th century Arabia.

However, this remained a rudimentary and fragmented episode, and the first accurately recorded animal artificial insemination was the dog artificial insemination experiment successfully conducted by Spallanzani in 1780, so there are still hundreds of years left [before its widespread adoption].

What Crown Prince Lee Je was trying to do was exactly this.

‘With natural mating, a stallion can usually only have 20-30 offspring?’

It takes a lot of effort to make natural mating happen, so it’s difficult to increase the number of times.

Naturally, the probability of success is also relatively low.

However, with artificial insemination, it is possible to give birth to hundreds of foals a year.

‘Of course, that’s only possible if you have that many mares…’

Still, if the mares can get pregnant every year, that would be great.

There were more advantages.

In this era, where systematic pedigree management did not exist, even if you managed to obtain a good horse, its bloodline would become diluted after two or three generations.

Their physique and wildness would become closer to native horses, so the only option was to continue importing horses from the north.

However, with artificial insemination, it would be easier to preserve the bloodline of famous horses.

Crown Prince Lee Je ordered the Bureau of Horses officials.

“Collect the essence from Ttaeng-gu.”

In modern times, I heard that there is a method of extracting livestock semen using electricity, but he doesn’t know the method.

‘Even if I knew, I wouldn’t want to use it.’

How could I waste the electricity I worked so hard to create on such a thing?

I have loyal Bureau of Horses officials.

That’s what Crown Prince Lee Je thought.

The Bureau of Horses officials, who had welcomed the Crown Prince’s visit when he told them to help Ttaeng-gu, lost the light in their eyes when they heard the order.

However, it was irrelevant to those who were not directly involved in the work.

“You’re going to deliberately extract semen and insert it into the mares?”

Grand Prince Chung-nyeong, who had been watching with a queasy expression, became curious after hearing his brother’s explanation.

“I see! There was a way! People and animals are born through essence, so there was no need to go through sexual intercourse!”

As intellectual curiosity overwhelmed the original purpose of giving Ttaeng-gu a life of pleasure, Grand Prince Chung-nyeong shouted with a gleam in his eyes.

“Not only that. Like father, like son, children inevitably resemble their parents, so it will also help in raising famous horses.”

“I will keep that in mind, Your Highness!”

Grand Prince Hyo-ryeong, who had been listening to the conversation between the Crown Prince and Grand Prince Chung-nyeong, felt a brief dizziness.

‘Is it right to suddenly use a method to impregnate horses without sexual intercourse?’

Wasn’t the process more important than the result?

That’s what Grand Prince Hyo-ryeong thought, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

The moment he brought it up, he feared his brother’s sanctions, saying, “Is that why you dared to bring out the Crown Prince’s horse?”

As Grand Prince Hyo-ryeong gave up protesting, no one was left to protect Ttaeng-gu among the people in this place.

As the Bureau of Horses officials approached, Ttaeng-gu slowly backed away.

Ttaeng-gu’s complexion turned dark and lifeless, as if he knew the fate that awaited him.

However, it was the strict order of the Crown Prince, so the officials couldn’t help it.

“Neigh…”

Tears flowed from Ttaeng-gu’s eyes as he was humiliated.

However, Crown Prince Lee Je stroked Ttaeng-gu and encouraged him.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you continue your lineage.”

Isn’t this what responsibility without pleasure is all about?

Grand Prince Hyo-ryeong sighed as he looked at the distant mountains.

===

The laws of heredity are truly mysterious, and sometimes the characteristics of ancestors several generations ago are expressed in their descendants.

What I was expecting from Ttaeng-gu’s offspring, created through artificial insemination, was exactly that.

Although the dragon horse’s terrible temperament caused a lot of damage to the people, its intelligence and ferocity were perfect as warhorses.

However, transgenerational inheritance is not a law that applies only to animals.

Humans can also resemble their grandparents or even their ancestors more than their parents.

That means.

“Even someone as cultured and dignified as me can have strange people pop out.”

I said with my eyes closed.

Considering what happened with Lee Seong-gye [King Taejo, founder of the Joseon dynasty] and the antics Ju Won-jang [Emperor Hongwu, founder of the Ming dynasty] pulled in Joseon, the possibility is not low.

Lee Seong-gye, who heard my words, asked with a dumbfounded expression.

“I asked why there’s still no news [of a grandchild], and that’s your answer?”

“Not really.”

As soon as I spread the rumor that I had invented rudimentary artificial insemination, the Retired King suddenly barged in.

Lee Seong-gye’s question was why I was making a child for a mere beloved horse while there was still no news of a grandson.

However, I was relaxed.

“Just wait a little bit.”

I heard that Grand Prince Yang-nyeong lived a long life, so isn’t it okay to have him a little later?

I understand the nagging that the dynasty will be stable only if there are strong successors.

But I don’t think there’s any need to worry from the start when they’re both young.

However, Lee Seong-gye was strangely impatient.

End

ⓒ Pitkong