There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 420

421. The World Now (1)

At first, I thought it was just some gold and silver ornaments they had beaten and plundered from the poor natives, but after hearing Jeonghwa’s story, it was a bit different.

“A silver mine?”

“Yes, it is a silver mine discovered during an exploration under imperial orders.”

“You mean a silver mine bigger than Iwami Silver Mine?”

“I cannot say for sure, but it is probably comparable in size.”

If this was true, it would greatly appeal to people.

‘Anyway, I have to dispatch a second expedition.’

At this point, it doesn’t matter whether it’s an expedition or a pioneer group.

I was worried that they would only take the crops and the New World advancement project would fail after my death, but now that I realized the New World was profitable, I couldn’t just let it pass.

‘It’s a scam map after all.’

Looking at the map Jeonghwa drew, it was estimated to be somewhere near Mexico. We haven’t even dipped our toes into North America yet, but if we keep sending people, the story will change.

I handed Jeonghwa’s report directly to the Jiphyeonjeon [Hall of Worthies, a royal research institute].

Wouldn’t this also be valuable research material on the Native Americans?

Although most people would only be interested in the silver mine.

“We must pay special attention not to transmit any infectious diseases.”

I heard that the natives were all wiped out because of smallpox.

Since Joseon people have been consistently vaccinated with cowpox for decades since the development of the smallpox vaccination method, there probably aren’t any smallpox carriers among them, but the story is different for sailors from China.

‘Should I start mandatory cowpox vaccinations for people returning from overseas?’

Although I am operating a primitive quarantine system, people who are blinded by silver might cross the sea on their own.

It wasn’t a bad thing that there was an incentive to constantly send Joseon people to the New World, though.

‘This is something.’

Let’s think positively.

We only have minor problems popping up, but the other side will be in a hurry once silver starts to flow in from the New World on a large scale.

‘The proportion of silver imported from Iwami will inevitably decrease.’

The Ouchi guys, whose main industry is silver exports, will probably be wailing… but in reality, we have grown too much to complain about just Iwami alone.

It’s not a bad thing that our Byeonbang’s [border region] size has increased, but the problem is that it has transformed into something a bit strange.

Jeonghwa also coincidentally mentioned that point.

“I stopped by Kyushu on my way back, and the atmosphere had become even stranger than when I left.”

“Um… that’s true….”

I trailed off.

Japan, or rather, the new country established on top of it, was experiencing an unexpected retro boom.

* * *

Yamaguchi was a hub of river transportation where the Fushinogawa and Ichinosakagawa rivers merged, and since there were also many land routes passing through this place, it had prospered early on as a transportation hub.

Since Ouchi Hiroyo moved his base here around 1360, he developed the city by copying the appearance of Kyoto, so it was called the Kyoto of the West, and it was enough to serve as the capital of a country.

King Ouchi Norihiro of Baekje, also known as Ouchi Yoshihiro, was sitting in his palace in Yamaguchi, facing south with dignity, receiving the greetings of his vassals.

Although he succeeded the deceased Ouchi Morimi as a collateral descendant, he had already received the imperial appointment, so there was nothing to be concerned about.

“Now that we have received the greetings of the officials, anyone among the senior vassals who has anything to report should speak quickly.”

Ouchi Norihiro, wearing an oraguan [ceremonial headdress] decorated with gold, spoke solemnly, and someone stepped forward.

It was Sue Hiromasa, a vassal from the Suo Domain, a member of the Daeseong Ten Clans, and currently serving as Sangjwapyeong (Senior Minister of the Left).

“The three-year mourning period for the late king has ended, so we would like to enshrine the ancestral tablets in the main hall and perform Bumyo [state ritual] at the Jongmyo Shrine [royal ancestral shrine]. I ask that Your Majesty examine and issue a response.”

It has been eight hundred years since Baekje was destroyed in the Battle of Baekgang [Battle of Hakusukinoe in 663 AD].

The Jongmyo Shrine, built in Yamaguchi by the Ouchi clan, who claimed to be descendants of the Buyeo clan, enshrines the successive kings of Baekje from King Onjo to King Pung, as well as the founders of the Ouchi clan.

Even the ancestral tablets of Gyeon Hwon and his son Sin Geom are prepared in a separate shrine.

In Joseon, it would be unimaginable to enshrine a bandit from Sangju who was not even of the Baekje royal bloodline in the Jongmyo Shrine, but the Japanese-style (?) Jongmyo Shrine, which was strangely combined with Shinto shrines, made it possible.

Thanks to glossing over the legitimacy of Later Baekje and treating them all as ‘gods related to Baekje,’ everything went smoothly.

The bizarre scenery of this Jongmyo Shrine, which seemed to be a mixture of Joseon-style Confucian rituals, Japanese Shinto shrines, and a collection of the few remaining Baekje-related records, was nothing more than a direct representation of the mixed identity of the new Baekje regime created after the end of the Japanese civil war.

The Ouchi clan won the civil war after a fierce battle.

Gien, as the last shogun to wield autocratic power in the original history, was a formidable opponent.

The Ouchi clan won thanks to overwhelming firepower, the Mongol army’s cavalry, and Joseon’s military support, but the problem was what came next.

The puppet shogun established by Gien was sent to follow Gien, who died as soon as the Ouchi army entered Kyoto.

It was truly a reverse idea that the Chinese would admire, as he had his lord buried alive for the sake of his vassals.

In any case, according to Ouchi’s claims, the two sons of Ashikaga Yoshikazu, who could be said to have inherited the legitimacy of the shogunate, had long been mysteriously killed by Gien’s plot.

Within the Ouchi army, there was a debate over the disposal of the already empty Muromachi shogunate.

“How about bringing in a collateral line of the Ashikaga clan and placing them on the throne? Gien is dead, but his younger siblings and nephews remain, don’t they?”

“Who would benefit from that? Like the Hojo guys did in the past, let’s bring in a son of the Tenno [Emperor], make him shogun, and we’ll control the real power, right?”

“Shikken (Regent)? Wouldn’t that be boring?”

To the eyes of the Ouchi clan members who had tasted Joseon water, such a Kamakura shogunate-style rule was not particularly desirable.

No, the shogunate-style rule itself was not very appealing.

The shogun was not originally a position that was clearly delegated power from the Tenno to rule.

He was simply a person who ruled Japan with his power because he had power.

Therefore, if the shogun lost his ability to rule, he could be pushed to the back room at any time.

The Kamakura shogunate before Muromachi was the pinnacle of that.

There was a shogun who was delegated power from the Tenno, and when the shogun’s direct line was cut off, the Shikken emerged to oversee the administration on his behalf, and then the Tokuso, the head of the Hojo clan who put the Shikken in front, seized power, and when the Tokuso had no power, the Naikanryo (Inner Controller) and relatives led the government, didn’t they?

At one time, this was taken for granted, but to Ouchi Mitsuyo, who had lived in Joseon for a long time, this was nothing more than a temporary and unstable system.

In addition, when they abolished the Muromachi shogunate and ascended to the position of shogun, dissatisfied voices erupted here and there.

“How can someone who is not a Genji (Minamoto clan) ascend to the position of shogun!”

Minamoto Yoritomo, who opened the shogunate, and Ashikaga Takauji were both from the Seiwa Genji (Minamoto clan), a collateral line of the Tenno family.

Later in history, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who opened the Edo shogunate, also claimed to be a descendant of the Genji.

In Japan, where the official ranks that could be ascended were all determined by one’s origin, the Ouchi, who were of immigrant origin, calling themselves shogun aroused an instinctive sense of rejection.

“Then what will you give me besides shogun?”

“How about the Kanrei-dai (Deputy Shogun) of the shogunate?”

The Kanrei is a senior position that assists the shogun and oversees the administration of the shogunate, and the Kanrei-dai refers to the acting Kanrei.

In fact, Ouchi Yoshioki, who could be called a proto-ruler of the world as the future head of the Ouchi clan, rose to the position of Sakyo Daibu (Captain of the Left Division of the Capital Guards) and Kanrei-dai.

The meaning was to put up a shogun as a scarecrow and control the real power as Kanrei-dai.

However, the Ouchi, who had already fought a great battle and won, were not satisfied with such a compromise, let alone allowing them to open the Yamaguchi shogunate.

“Hey, give it up! What’s all this nonsense about shogun and stuff?”

“Those who don’t know how the world works are spouting old-fashioned nonsense, so they need to meet their match to be corrected!”

In short, the global trend is Confucian Mandate of Heaven.

What is the Mandate of Heaven?

Since ancient times, emperors have not risen without the Mandate of Heaven.

Conversely, if you win, that is the will of Heaven, so the loser should quietly take off his crown and step down.

“Then, should we… depose the Tenno?”

Even so, it seemed too far-fetched, but Ouchi Mitsuyo shook his head.

“No, haven’t we already paid tribute to the Son of Heaven? Why would we aim for the position of a fake Son of Heaven after already swearing allegiance to the Joseon Emperor?”

How long will you close the country’s doors and play emperor in a rustic way?

The era is moving towards a world led by Joseon, and who would recognize you even if you were holed up in a corner playing shogunate?

“Inform the Son of Heaven that we have completely pacified Japan, and ask for the investiture and the honorable name.”

Who decides that the Ouchi have received the Mandate of Heaven?

It is the Son of Heaven, Emperor Yi Je of Joseon.

His investiture guarantees the legitimacy of Ouchi’s rule.

However, unlike Joseon, which has refined its self-identity as a vassal state, Japan has long been separated from the Chinese investiture order.

Naturally, this question had to pop up.

“Will there really be no repercussions?”

“Didn’t the previous dynasty already receive the investiture of the King of Japan from Emperor Taizong of Ming?”

He was referring to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who was invested as the King of Japan by the Yongle Emperor.

“But even he did not act as a king in the country. Wouldn’t there be strong opposition?”

“The opposition has already existed since we brought in the Mongol army. They are the ones who oppose us opening the shogunate, so we have to step on them anyway, no matter what we do.”

“Then what about the Tenno?”

“Tell him to perform ancestral rites in the Imperial Palace as if he were dead. Who will know if there was such a person in about a hundred years?”

“…….”

The globalization brought by Yi Je was applied to the Ouchi, who were deeply influenced by Joseon.

National opposition was expected, but since the situation had already been sorted out once by the civil war, it would not be enough to overthrow the regime.

Then, what is more important is to build the ideological and systemic foundations for the regime to last for a long time.

To this end, while joining the ‘global standard’ Joseon’s investiture order, they began working to bring the roots from the bloodline.

The Ouchi’s first claim to be descendants of Baekje was not much different from Wang Geon’s claim to be descendants of the Tang Dynasty, but now that they themselves believed it, there was no one who denied that the Ouchi’s roots were Baekje.

Fortunately (?) Joseon and Ming had plenty of star instructors who were crazy about such historical research.

Restoration work was carried out to restore the roots, from the national name to the official uniforms and costumes, administrative districts, and government offices.

On the other hand, parts that were not recorded in the fragmentary Baekje records or were considered not in line with the times were boldly cut out, and Joseon-style systems were filled in their place.

Also, only the external national name was changed for the time being, but the reality was that it inherited Japan as it was, so the unchanged parts remained as they were.

Baekje was revived in a strange direction, like a dinosaur restored with amphibian DNA added, but it was somehow working out well.

Compared to Ryukyu, that is.