There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 362

363. Joseon Is a First (1)

Thanks to the diligent construction efforts over the past three years, the telegraph line connecting Hanyang [modern-day Seoul] and Byeokrando [a historical port in present-day North Korea] was completed long ago.

Currently, starting from Hanyang, they were gradually beginning construction on telegraph lines reaching Uiju [a city near the border with China] via Pyongyang [the capital of present-day North Korea] to the north, and Dongnae [a historical district of Busan] via Daegu [a major city in southeastern Korea] to the south.

Several people were racking their brains over the massive project that had to cross several mountains and rivers, but they had to be thankful that they could at least carry out the construction along the roads and bridges that had already been built.

It wasn’t just a matter of stringing up telegraph lines; maintenance was also an issue.

Ironically, the current problems were not the theft and damage to the telegraph lines that the King and the court had initially worried about.

“I pray, I pray. Please tell my parents in my hometown that their son is doing well.”

“I can’t come down to tend to your grave this year, so please accept my humble offerings through the telegraph from afar, Father!”

“I’m expecting a child this time. I hope the news can be delivered to my husband who went out to sea, even in his dreams.”

The sight of something piled up under telephone poles is familiar even to modern Koreans.

However, the contents were different.

The telegraph poles erected here and there were filled with offerings that people brought as if they were worshiping village totems [traditional Korean guardian spirits].

This was especially true after the rumor spread that the King’s commands were being transmitted through these telegraph poles.

Regardless of their desperate attempts at telepathy, this was not a desirable situation for the country.

Whether it was offerings brought with pious hearts or trash left by unscrupulous people, it attracted bugs and cats alike.

However, the fact that people gathered near the telegraph poles had a rather positive effect.

It is a basic principle to steal in a place where no one can see.

Even without the sentries stationed every 4km, thanks to those who frequently came to pray for blessings, there were almost no people who would bother to climb up the high telegraph poles to steal copper.

For this reason, the telegraph has been able to transmit news to Hanyang without interruption since its opening.

The same was true when a ship arrived from Byeokrando.

Normally, a person would have to come directly from Byeokrando to report this, and the Ryukyu [historical kingdom now part of Okinawa, Japan] student delegation would have to stay in the Byeokrando guesthouse during that time.

However, the two sides were able to immediately exchange detailed information via telegraph, and the capital could begin preparing to welcome the delegation while Byeokrando could send them off.

“Ryukyu students are coming from Byeokrando.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Even distant countries seek to learn from Joseon, so isn’t this all thanks to Your Majesty’s virtue?”

To Lee Je’s question, the officials spouted habitual flattery.

If they were to put their hand on their chest and ask if the King really had that much virtue, they would have no choice but to stammer. But this is not because they are heartless people.

Rather, they add these comments even to such matters because they are loyal subjects.

If someone who is usually picky offers advice, it will only be seen as the usual complaining of a croaking frog.

By accumulating compliments even on trivial matters like this, wouldn’t their advice be accepted as coming from genuine loyalty later on?

At least, that’s what they thought.

It’s definitely not just because they’re watching the King’s every move!

Contrary to the officials’ hard-won praise after overcoming their internal conflicts, Lee Je’s mood wasn’t very good.

‘It’s a good thing that foreign students are coming…’

Nurturing foreign students and making them leaders in their own countries is a common practice even among modern developed countries.

Moreover, even though Ryukyu is a small country, the fact that the Ryukyu crown prince himself is coming is something to be welcomed with open arms.

However, Lee Je was bothered by the fact that he was the son of ‘that’ On Sado.

‘He’s the kind of person who interprets everything in his favor.’

He was lucky enough to recover Namsan [likely referring to a specific event or territory] and unify Ryukyu, but how could that be his ability?

Assuming that the Ryukyu crown prince resembled his father, Lee Je couldn’t help but feel reluctant.

Therefore, Lee Je replied with a reluctant expression.

“The Sungkyunkwan [Joseon’s highest educational institution] officials should prepare to welcome the students without any setbacks.”

The education of the foreign students would be the responsibility of Sungkyunkwan.

Of course, they were not Joseon citizens and had not passed the preliminary civil service examination to enter, so they would not be classified as formal graduates, but they would still receive the same education.

“Can they all speak Joseon language?”

“Some of them will have learned it since they were in their home country. Those who are not fluent in Joseon language will be taught at the Language Institute.”

“That’s a relief then. After the welcoming ceremony, don’t start classes right away, but let them tour the Jiphyeonjeon [Hall of Worthies, a royal research institute] and the Military Supplies Office for a few days.”

As Lee Je said this, the officials asked.

“Will Your Majesty not visit them in person?”

“Do I have to go in person?”

“Don’t you usually say a few words when new students enter Sungkyunkwan every year?”

“Ah, that…”

Lee Je scratched his cheek with a bothered expression, but when he thought about it, it wouldn’t be bad to show his face to the Ryukyu students.

What is the reason why politicians diligently show their faces at every event?

Just having a conversation with a big shot, even if it’s nothing special, is enough for most people to form an inner sense of closeness.

If the target is someone who will dominate the Ryukyu political scene in the future, it wouldn’t be bad to meet them once.

* * *

As the grand speech that began with ‘Boys, be ambitious!’ came to an end, the eyes of the Ryukyu students sparkled as I had expected.

The people who came with the crown prince from Ryukyu were mostly children of powerful clans.

Since the influence of the clans is so strong in that area that the chaos of the clans in the early Goryeo [Korean dynasty from 918-1392] period seems cute in comparison, their eyes turned so cold at the word ‘ambition’ that they resembled Yi Bang-won [King Taejong, known for his ruthless rise to power] for a moment.

‘I’m glad I drifted at the end.’

Not for money or selfish achievements, not for the fleeting thing called fame, but to acquire the things that a person should have.

It is a speech that suits the Confucian taste of cultivating oneself to have the demeanor of a noble, not a vulgar success.

Seeing the children deeply impressed and admiring, I felt quite proud.

“Whenever I listen, I always feel that your words are truly eloquent, Brother.”

It’s plagiarism, you rascal.

It’s a speech that I give every year at the entrance ceremony of Sungkyunkwan and the training center, so I’ve mastered it now.

There are many people who enter Sungkyunkwan who are so old that the word ‘boy’ seems out of place, but it’s good that the foreign students are all young.

The Ryukyu crown prince was about the same age as our kids.

“The crown prince seems more timid than I thought.”

When I encouraged the children to be ambitious, the blood drained from the crown prince’s face.

‘I guess he thought I was going to incite the clans to overthrow the royal family.’

If On Sado was on the recklessly optimistic side, this one is rather worried about whether he can properly control the foreign students he brought with him.

‘That’s going to be a problem.’

There are many people who regard Ryukyu as a simple sugar pot, but if the country collapses and the royal family is devastated, the straw we have inserted will naturally shake.

The guys who overthrow the Ryukyu royal family that we sponsor and seize power are likely to take an anti-Joseon line.

If that’s all, it would be fortunate. Ryukyu, which is not capable of surviving independently, may try to attach itself to Ming [Chinese dynasty from 1368 to 1644] or Japan in order to survive.

‘I need to properly reform him and send him back.’

Both physically and mentally.

* * *

The Military Supplies Office is in charge of the technical problems of the telegraph, but the court eunuchs led by Wang Ho are in charge of managing the information.

Most of the information transmitted by telegraph is routine, but sometimes it is intelligence related to national affairs.

They do not allow anyone other than the King to know this first.

The news that Wang Ho rushed to deliver that night was one of them.

“Your Majesty! I have something urgent to report!”

“Hmm… What is it?”

I rubbed my eyes and got up when Wang Ho urgently requested an audience just as I was about to go to sleep.

I thought about postponing it until tomorrow, but I was already awake.

That judgment was correct.

At least my sleep was completely gone after hearing Wang Ho’s words.

“The former shogun of Waeguk [historical term for Japan] has died, Your Majesty.”

I thought he followed his son so quickly after his son died, but this is not that strange.

It’s not like there’s an order to dying.

Wang Ho wouldn’t have woken me up with just this kind of news, so the main point soon came out.

“However, a rebellion broke out in Kyoto [historical capital of Japan] over the succession, and several ministers were killed by the former shogun’s brother.”

“That’s a common occurrence.”

I said, nodding my head.

The problem is the source.

Just as Joseon opened Byeokrando as a foreign port, the shogunate also opened Sakai [a port city near Osaka], the foreign port of Kyoto, allowing many Joseon ships to come and go.

This was the story told by someone who had escaped to Sakai and hid on our ship before he could confirm the rebellion in Kyoto and leave the port.

Ordinary stowaways are usually summarily executed on the spot.

It doesn’t necessarily mean killing them. In most cases, they live a second life as slaves.

However, this time, they couldn’t handle it that way.

It’s not just because he desperately begged for his life.

It’s not an era where they would be so kind as to feel sorry for such things.

‘You have to consider political asylum in the 21st century.’

It seems that they thought that the authority to decide was only mine after hearing all the circumstances he had revealed.

They are commendable.

“How… shall we deal with him?”

This is why Wang Ho came.

To ask me for my opinion before the existence of the stowaway is revealed to the court tomorrow.

If I told him to bury him here, he would be thrown into the pitch-black sea off Byeokrando immediately, and ‘nothing would have happened’.

However, I shook my head.

“We need to find out the details of the situation in Japan.”

Because they knew nothing about the new regime after the change of power.

However, I soon regretted that decision.

* * *

“Lord Daeeoso clearly said that he would make Kashikomaru, the eldest grandson, his successor! But Kien manipulated the will and wielded the Hokoshu [likely a military unit] to cut down all the vassals who opposed him.

Isn’t Joseon an ally of our shogunate? If the King were to lead a large fleet to drive out the fake shogun and restore the legitimacy of Ashikaga [a shogunate family name], how could we not repay you?”

I was deeply troubled as I looked at the other party who was excitedly revealing everything.

‘Why is he just talking about things that only he knows?’

I was bombarded with names and official titles that I couldn’t get used to no matter how much I heard them.

On top of that, he was rattling off complicated political situations that only the Japanese would know.

After barely summarizing the main points, the result was this.

‘So, it’s like Grand Prince Suyang [King Sejo of Joseon, who usurped the throne] caused a coup with the Subangsa [likely a military unit]?’

I heard that the shogunate’s power relies heavily on its vassals.

However, the Kyoto shogunate had quite a bit of exchange with us after the opening of the port.

The amount of gunpowder weapons we sold to them doesn’t even reach the tip of the iceberg of the amount we gave to Ouchi [a powerful Japanese clan], but it seems that it was enough to arm at least the Subangsa.

A surprise attack with overwhelming firepower.

If it went to a long-term battle, I don’t know, but the Japanese version of Kim Jong-seo [a Joseon general killed in a coup] and his gang were caught off guard without being able to do anything…!

I asked the other party.

“So, is there a will?”

“Not now… but! It certainly existed before Kien and the other traitors replaced it with a new will. We just need to recapture Kyoto and then retrieve it!”

‘What nonsense.’

In fact, it doesn’t matter whether there is a will or not.

What justification did my father have for becoming king?

Originally, the one who wins is the one who speaks the truth.

So this guy is saying that we should ‘retrieve’ the will after capturing Kyoto.

When that time comes, a will that doesn’t exist will pop out.

However, from my point of of view, there is no reason to do that.

‘No matter how I think about it, it’s much more profitable to side with the new shogunate.’

We should support the one who won. What’s the point of grabbing the losers by the collar and pulling them up?

“Okay, I understand. Go down to Buyeo [a historical city in South Chungcheong Province] for now.”

I ordered.

If I leave him in the capital, the guys sent by the new Japanese regime might notice.