There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 278

In the original history, Meng Xian, a close aide to Zhu Gaosui, Prince Zhao, was executed for attempting to assassinate the ailing Emperor Yongle and forge a decree to enthrone the Prince of Zhao.

The Prince of Zhao survived solely due to the Crown Prince’s plea for mercy; the Crown Prince saved both of his rebellious younger brothers.

The Crown Prince’s personality was that mild, and Emperor Yongle found him exceedingly weak.

‘If only he weren’t the Imperial Grandson…’

Emperor Yongle thought.

The Crown Prince was weak, but the Imperial Grandson possessed his own mettle.

If not for that insurance, he might have replaced the Crown Prince.

It would have been infuriating for the other sons, of course.

‘This child must grow up quickly and succeed his grandfather.’

If he could, he would have liked to skip a generation.

For that reason, Emperor Yongle often had the young Imperial Grandson sit beside him while handling state affairs and shared stories.

Thus, it was not strange that Emperor Yongle brought the Imperial Grandson with him to meet Zheng He on this day as well.

He believed that, even if the Crown Prince did not, the Imperial Grandson Zhu Zhanji deserved to listen to him handle state affairs.

“This time, I went as far as Mogadishu to bestow gifts and collect tributes offered by that country to Your Majesty,” Zheng He said, kneeling respectfully.

Around this time, the Ming Dynasty’s expedition routes extended to Hormuz and Africa.

This meant that stable sea routes had been established enough for Zheng He’s fleet of tens of thousands to move, but it seemed that someone else was reaping all the benefits.

“Did Joseon envoys accompany you this time as well?”

Zheng He answered the question from Imperial Grandson Zhu Zhanji, who was beside Emperor Yongle.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Then they must have attended the exchange of national letters and gifts, and become acquainted with the ministers of that country?”

“Yes… they must participate in demonstrating the majesty of the Great Ming…”

“And then, under the guise of neighboring relations between fellow tributary states, they subtly send people to settle down?”

Later, Joseon would refuse to open its ports, using the excuse that as a tributary state, it could not conduct diplomacy arbitrarily, but the person currently on the Joseon throne was not one to care about such things.

Even if they were a tributary state, Ming knew that Joseon needed to have relations with other countries, and had tacitly condoned it without much comment.

However, what the Imperial Grandson disliked was that Joseon was reaping all the benefits after the fleet had opened the way.

In the meantime, Zheng He’s fleet had diligently suppressed pirates rampaging in Palembang, driven out Alakeshwara of Sri Lanka and enthroned a new king, and suppressed military forces in Sumatra, Indonesia, bringing order to the area.

However, Joseon was the only one actively trading and setting up trading posts in the areas that had been stabilized through military activities.

‘Not as hostages, but how can the Great Ming station officials in a barbarian country!’

While Ming stalled with this logic, Joseon, without worrying about appearances, was actively sending people and goods to trade with various countries where they had become acquainted while ‘enhancing the emperor’s majesty.’

Even if Ming wanted to emulate Joseon’s trade activities, the national policy of maritime prohibition since the reign of Taejo became a problem.

Emperor Yongle’s goal was, after all, to enfeoff [grant land to] various barbarians and expand the territory of the Great Ming, so he might not care…

‘Demonstrating the country’s majesty is important, but Joseon is taking all the benefits of the Western Seas. Is this a normal situation?’

However, the Imperial Grandson could only think more realistically.

‘If that’s the case, shouldn’t we at least get protection money from Joseon?’

The Imperial Grandson’s conclusion was leaning towards collecting defense burden, but the response was lukewarm.

“Would the Great Ming be so petty?”

Emperor Yongle was scraping up every last Seungja Chongtong [a type of cannon] in an attempt to suppress Joseon’s military capabilities, but he was generous in these matters.

Others reacted similarly.

‘From Joseon? Really?’

His father was more than happy because he had received a hyucheo [permission slip] from the current King of Joseon, allowing him to go outside alone.

‘This can also be called the demeanor of a great power.’

‘Since Joseon’s horses and Chongtong are being taken away by our dynasty, how strong can Joseon’s soldiers be, even if they are strong? Our dynasty and Joseon are like the relationship between father and son, so a father cannot ask his son for the price of shielding him from the wind and rain.’

The officials were just repeating themselves like parrots, and it was suspicious enough to wonder if they had all been bribed by Joseon, as they were still gathering at the Hoedongguan [a guesthouse for foreign envoys] every day to play mahjong.

Emperor Yongle grabbed the Imperial Grandson’s hand and said,

“I consider the great undertaking of the Western Seas to be very important. It must not be discontinued in your generation.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

He answered that way, but Imperial Grandson Zhu Zhanji vowed that the day he ascended the throne, he would either abandon this Western Seas business or shake a stick at Joseon, demanding that they pay their due.

On the other hand, Emperor Yongle, who had no idea what the Imperial Grandson was thinking, simply looked at his beloved grandson.

“Alright, I will bestow a Bi-ah [a medicinal aphrodisiac] upon you, so take it and withdraw.”

He was still in his prime, but if he used this together, his yang energy would be doubled.

Producing offspring was also a natural duty of the nation’s foundation.

Emperor Yongle looked at the retreating Imperial Grandson with a warm expression and said,

“These days, the only joyful things are watching the Imperial Grandson grow and using the Bi-ah.”

Recently, the various pet projects he had been pursuing had not been progressing well.

When you think about it, it was strange that there were no setbacks, as he was simultaneously carrying out large-scale domestic projects such as the relocation of the capital to Beijing and the construction of the Grand Canal, as well as foreign expeditions such as the Mongol campaigns, the rule of Annam, and the Western Seas expeditions.

No, if the country Emperor Yongle ruled was not this vast Great Ming, the pillars would have been uprooted long ago.

During Emperor Yongle’s reign, the Ming Dynasty was outwardly enjoying its heyday, but the shadows were just as dark.

Hundreds of thousands of people were conscripted from Shandong alone for various construction projects, and there were rumors in Shandong, Henan, Shanxi, and Shaanxi that people were eating tree bark and grass roots due to lack of food, and even selling their children.

Heretical cults such as the White Lotus Sect infiltrated the gaps and spread rapidly.

There was a reason why the Hongxi Emperor and Xuande Emperor later halted most of their predecessors’ projects and focused on domestic affairs.

The foundation of this vast country was slowly collapsing.

However, Emperor Yongle, who dreamed of restoring the great empire, had no intention of stopping his foreign expeditions himself.

The only things that could stop him were the lifespan determined by heaven,

or ambitious individuals.

===

“Welcome, Uncle!”

Min Mugu, who had been staying in Singapore, returned, tanned black.

I went out to the palace gates myself to welcome him.

‘I’m a little worried about what Father will think.’

He’s been wandering outside for a long time because he was worried about my father, so he’ll let this much slide.

“Upon hearing the news of Your Majesty’s ascension, I offer my belated congratulations from afar. Congratulations, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, there’s no need for congratulations.”

I received belated congratulations, so I had to return the favor.

I had something to praise Min Mugu for anyway.

“I hear that Simha City [Singapore] is a city that never sleeps these days? It’s all thanks to your hard work while staying there, Uncle.”

Singapore is a crucial location in modern times, but it was just a rural village when we first planted our flag.

It was thanks to Min Mugu’s efforts that Singapore was developed into a trade hub in such a short period of time.

I thought he was just an in-law to be a figurehead, but he had this talent.

“Ah, are you talking about that?”

However, Min Mugu said with a tired smile.

“It is not my doing, but all thanks to Your Majesty.”

“Thanks to me?”

I asked, puzzled, and Min Mugu said with a slightly horrified tone.

“Doesn’t the Bi-ah have an expiration date? Most of the Bi-ah produced in the home country are distributed through Simha Island, so people from all over the world who want to see its effects are flocking to Simha City.

With money and people flocking in, it is bound to become a major port in the Nanyang [Southeast Asia] without much effort.”

“Ah.”

The expiration date of Bi-ah.

Bi-ah is more expensive than gold, but its effects weaken as the distance increases.

For this reason, there were merchants who swept them up, thinking that even getting one or two would be a success, but there was a limit to that, so people were flocking to Singapore, the intermediate distribution point.

Min Mugu said with a slightly dazed expression.

“Royalty and nobles from the Southern Barbarian countries are flocking in by boat as a group, and there are even couples who come together to continue their lineage, and there are also many who visit solely to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh.”

“The courtesans, dancers, and liquor merchants who cater to them have also crossed over and taken root, making it difficult to control them all.”

Yu Jeong-hyeon took over Min Mugu’s words.

At first, they accepted them with the intention of filling this desolate land with people, but it gradually became overcrowded, and now it has become a level where the lights do not go out even at night.

“Now, even those who don’t need to use Bi-ah are starting to come to Simha Island to enjoy the pleasures, so it was beyond my power.”

Min Mugu grabbed my hand and said.

‘The problem is that it’s too successful, geez.’

I clicked my tongue after listening to Min Mugu’s complaints.

Originally, the Joseon army only controlled the port and some key locations in Singapore.

There were no hostile forces around, and the people were just a few rural villages, so it would have been easy for Min Mugu to govern at that time.

So, he must have thought that he would have already left and vacated his position by the time Singapore had grown to some extent.

“Fortunately, Your Majesty ascended the throne and summoned me, otherwise I would have died in that Southern Barbarian land.

Since Your Majesty is going to reappoint me, this uncle will only do his best.”

‘Why is this guy drinking the soup before it’s cooked?’

I only called him back because I was worried about Queen Wongyeong, and because the relationship with Majapahit and the development of Singapore were on track to some extent.

Why is he already talking about reappointment?

I understand that he is expecting something because his nephew has become the king instead of his stern brother-in-law.

‘Should I just ship him back to Singapore?’

After a moment of contemplation, I shook my head.

‘No, that’s okay.’

I can control his desire to seize power as an in-law, and more importantly, he’s already been startled once, so he won’t move in a completely foolish direction.

But if I send my uncle back, I’m afraid of my mother’s backhand smash.

‘Even though her son has ascended the throne, why hasn’t Mother’s personality changed?’

Well, they say people die if they change.

‘I should just give my uncle a suitable position and be done with it.’

I thought so and asked Min Mugu.

“I heard that Eunuch Zheng He brought tribute from a country called Mogadishu this time. Have you heard of it?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The country is inhabited by Ugwija, and they have newly entered the Great Ming Empire by upholding the Emperor’s decree.”

Oh, Ugwija. Doesn’t that mean crow ghosts?

You shouldn’t use such discriminatory expressions!

I scolded the racist Min Mugu in my mind and tried to guess where Mogadishu was.

I don’t know exactly where it is, but I had a feeling it was somewhere in East Africa.

‘Now our influence is reaching Africa.’

To be exact, it’s the Ming Dynasty’s influence, but they’re just using it for tribute and enfeoffment anyway, right?

We should make good use of it.

‘Africa.’

Isn’t it a continent with deep ties to me?

Come to think of it, it’s also where I was before I fell into Joseon.

‘Should I show off my Swahili skills?’

I felt it when I was learning Chinese, but the language is very different from this era.

But there will still be parts that are the same, so it will be easy to learn anew.

Maybe I should try to communicate with their envoys when they come.

“Have you ever seen black people, Uncle?”

“Black people? Ah, you mean the Ugwija.”

No, he understands even if I say black people.

Why are you correcting it, you racist.

“I have never seen them in person. However, I have seen strange people recently,” Min Mugu said, stroking his beard.

“They are people with white and red skin, and they said they came to find the golden country of Joseon? Haha, crazy people.”

…Huh?

End

ⓒ Pitkong