Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 316

316 Battle (2)

The clash between Park Yeon and Anpyeong stemmed primarily from differing values regarding music, but what truly ignited the conflict was something else entirely.

Ironically, the reason they clashed was because things were going too well.

* * *

After the creation of the Jeongganbo [a traditional Korean musical notation system], Park Yeon and Anpyeong joined forces to create an even more perfect musical notation system.

They brought in older, skilled musicians and relentlessly worked to create performance symbols and systematically organize everything.

Park Yeon, considered the greatest musician in Joseon [Korean dynasty] history, and Anpyeong, intelligent and passionate about music, worked tirelessly, forgetting sleep and meals, resulting in a highly effective musical notation system.

Once a satisfactory level of notation was achieved, most of the subsequent tasks fell to lower-level officials and musicians.

They re-transcribed orally transmitted music, compared and reviewed it with existing scores, and used the notation and performance symbols learned through training to record the Jeongganbo.

It didn’t end with just creating the score. The process of verifying errors by playing the music with the score was also carried out.

The part that Park Yeon and Anpyeong were most involved in was the inspection process. And that inspection process went smoothly.

The temporal leeway created by the smooth progress of the work led Park Yeon and Anpyeong to clash again.

* * *

“The reorganization of Aak [Korean court music] is nearing completion, and the arrangement of Hyangak [native Korean music] and Tangak [Tang Chinese music] is also progressing smoothly.”

“Isn’t it all thanks to the efforts of Grand Prince?”

“What have I done? I’ve only intervened in the work that the Director initiated.”

The warm atmosphere, filled with mutual flattery, gradually began to change.

“Now that the Jwabang (Aak) among the two court music styles is almost finished, and the Woobang (Hyangak, Tangak) is also on track, what should we proceed with in the future?”

In response to Anpyeong’s question, Park Yeon stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before answering.

“We should maintain the musical instruments. Or do you have any other ideas in mind?”

Anpyeong immediately responded to Park Yeon’s question.

“How about organizing the sounds and music enjoyed by the common people?”

Park Yeon replied firmly to Anpyeong’s words.

“That is not possible.”

“Why not?”

“It lacks refinement. It’s not just unconventional; it’s completely unrefined, making it unworthy of organization.”

Veins popped out on Anpyeong’s forehead upon hearing Park Yeon’s words.

“These have been passed down from the Goryeo Dynasty [918–1392], and even from the ancient Samhan [Three Kingdoms of Korea] period. It is worth collecting and organizing them!”

“What value is there in most of the Goryeo Dynasty’s folk songs that deal with love affairs?”

“Doesn’t that ‘love’ refer to more than just lewd acts? How many songs sing of devotion to one’s beloved? And isn’t that love the most primal emotion of all!”

“Music is meant to assist in ritual. But what you are suggesting to organize only defiles ritual!”

“Music shouldn’t just end as an assistant to ritual. Music is valuable in and of itself!”

“Since it’s so valuable, we need to select it properly!”

“What is the standard for that selection! Frankly, even the Sadaebu [scholar-officials] enjoy popular songs!”

“That is merely for entertainment!”

“Don’t make excuses for the sake of excuses!”

That’s how the two ended up clashing fiercely.

* * *

As the conflict between the two escalated, emotional clashes also occurred.

‘A young pup whose blood hasn’t even dried, acting like a Grand Prince!’

‘Just because he knows a bit about music and receives the King’s favor, he struts around!’

The two, who had become so estranged, growled at each other whenever they had the chance.

Park Yeon was a bit more severe in this regard, as he was dissatisfied with Anpyeong, who had intervened thanks to his position as a Grand Prince, and also because he couldn’t pursue his side business because of Anpyeong.

* * *

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, Park Yeon was dismissed from his position and retired to his hometown three times.

One was when his son, Park Gye-u, was involved in the plot to restore King Danjong in his later years. Usually, he would have been implicated and killed under the system of guilt by association, but thanks to his age of 81 and his contributions to music, he was only dismissed.

Another was due to an incident that occurred in the 28th year of King Sejong’s reign (1446) while returning from Ming China, where he had been appointed as a special envoy for festival days.

The fact that they had left the certificate verifying their status as envoys at the Huidongguan [a government-run hostel for foreign envoys] in Beijing and only hurriedly retrieved it upon arriving at the border was discovered.

As a result, Park Yeon was unable to hold office for a year.

However, his dismissal in the 30th year of King Sejong’s reign (1448) was dishonorable.

While serving as the Director of the Royal Music Institute, it was discovered that he had been privately employing the court musicians to make money and accumulate wealth.

An enraged King Sejong dismissed him, but because there was no one to replace him, he had to be recalled as the Director of the Royal Music Institute a little over a year later.

* * *

Therefore, Anpyeong was a thorn in Park Yeon’s side.

Although he was dismissed for privately using the musicians much later—about 17 years later—he had already been enjoying the benefits even before Anpyeong intervened. However, with Anpyeong’s involvement, he couldn’t even think about his side business.

No one would dare to engage in a side business with the King’s third son watching with sharp eyes.

In addition to the difference in musical values, the economic issue overlapped, further worsening his perception of Anpyeong.

The same was true for Anpyeong.

While participating in the Aak reorganization project, Anpyeong, who was faced with a large number of musicians right in front of him, couldn’t just let it pass.

Whenever there was a slight opening, Anpyeong would immediately rush to King Sejong and ask for permission to bring the musicians to his house.

“Hmm… It would be better than wandering around the country following itinerant entertainers.”

King Sejong, who knew Anpyeong’s passion, accepted Anpyeong’s request, and Anpyeong invited the musicians to his house to perform music.

The music that the musicians mainly played at Anpyeong’s house was mostly folk songs.

Music played at royal banquets could easily lead to political disputes.

-Listening to music that can only be heard where the King is present means that you have the intention of usurping the throne!

It was a far-fetched argument, and King Sejong and Hyang would have scoffed and dismissed it, but it was an argument that could easily cause problems in the political arena. Anyone with political ambitions could easily start a commotion.

Of course, this was the perspective of an outsider, and court music was definitely not Anpyeong’s taste.

When Anpyeong listened to the performances of the musicians, he rewarded them. It wasn’t a huge amount, but it was enough for them to walk around with their shoulders straightened as the head of their households for a few days.

As this happened more frequently, Anpyeong became close to the musicians, and through these close musicians, Anpyeong was able to hear stories about Park Yeon.

“What an impudent fellow….”

Anpyeong couldn’t look favorably upon Park Yeon after hearing the stories from the musicians.

As a result, the relationship between the two sides deteriorated further.

* * *

When the No. 1 and No. 2 of an organization don’t get along, it’s the subordinates who suffer.

This was also the case for the officials and musicians working under Park Yeon and Anpyeong.

Those who suffered between the two, who growled at each other at every opportunity, complained and lamented when they were alone.

“We’re going to die first at this rate!”

“Tell me about it. Every day is like walking a tightrope….”

“It’s a relief that they at least handle official duties properly….”

“But we can’t live like this forever, can we?”

“That’s true, but we can’t submit a petition, can we? There’s no one to replace Director and Grand Prince right now! We’ll be the ones to take the blame if we mess up!”

“That’s the problem….”

In a situation where no clear answer could be found no matter how much they looked around, one of the officials suggested.

“Shall we talk to the Crown Prince?”

“To the Crown Prince?”

“It would be a big problem if we submitted a petition to His Majesty, but wouldn’t it be okay to complain to the Crown Prince?”

“Hmm….”

The surrounding officials all had expressions of interest.

The Crown Prince, not the King, and a complaint, not a petition.

The officials, who had been calculating in various ways, muttered in unison.

“Sounds plausible?”

* * *

“Oh, dear….”

A few days later, Hyang muttered with a troubled expression after listening to the complaints of the officials from the Jeonakseo [Bureau of Music] and Akhak [Royal Music Institute] who had secretly come to visit.

“I have heard your words well. You have suffered a lot. I will think about it, so please return to your posts.”

“We understand. We will trust in Your Highness.”

Hyang, watching the officials trudging back, still muttered with a troubled expression.

“A difficult problem….”

Hyang was just as troubled after hearing the officials’ complaints. According to what he had learned in middle and high school in the 21st century, many folk songs, including Goryeo songs, disappeared intensively in the early Joseon period.

The reason why these folk songs disappeared was that the Sadaebu who founded Joseon judged that they harmed public morals.

“Is it fortunate that Anpyeong is obsessed with folk songs? No, His Majesty doesn’t despise Woobang either…. The problem is that even His Majesty has a high hurdle for folk songs. He’s surprisingly conservative….”

King Sejong, who was progressive enough to legally guarantee maternity leave and childcare leave even for government slaves, was quite conservative in some areas.

This was due to a kind of inferiority complex that King Sejong had.

-Although he is the legitimate son of the late king, he is not the eldest son who became king.

-The reason why he was able to become king was not only because he was highly educated and intelligent, but also because his conduct was upright.

It was precisely because of the second item that Yangnyeong was pushed aside and Sejong became the Crown Prince.

Therefore, Sejong had to be more faithful to Confucian moralism than anyone else.

Hyang, who vaguely understood this situation, was negatively judging Sejong in this regard.

In the end, Hyang chose the first method that came to mind.

“That’s right! The best way to solve these problems is with alcohol!”

* * *

A few days later, Hyang took Anpyeong and Park Yeon to a gibang [traditional Korean house of courtesans].

“The reason I have brought you here today is to express my gratitude. Thanks to your hard work, the reorganization of music is progressing smoothly. I am truly grateful.”

Park Yeon and Anpyeong bowed their heads in response to Hyang’s words.

“You are too kind.”

Hyang raised his glass, signaling the start of the banquet.

“Now! Let’s all get pleasantly drunk today!”

As the wine glasses went around, the atmosphere gradually softened. The gisaengs’ [female entertainers] singing and dancing enlivened the banquet, and the laughter of Park Yeon and Anpyeong gradually grew louder.

“Hahaha!”

“Your Highness! Please have some.”

“Anpyeong, you should drink too! Director! Director, have a drink too!”

While continuously offering wine to Anpyeong and Park Yeon, Hyang was waiting for the right timing.

‘They’re softened up enough. Then, let’s slowly….’

“By the way, Director.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Being in the palace, I hear a lot of rumors. I heard a rumor that Anpyeong and Director are in disharmony. What’s going on?”

The color drained from Park Yeon and Anpyeong’s faces at Hyang’s words. Seeing their reaction, Hyang slowly began to coax them.

“Ah! I’m not trying to say anything. It’s just that I’m worried because I hear bad things about the work that His Majesty is expecting so much from.”

“It’s just that we have slightly different opinions about music….”

“Different opinions?”

As Hyang casually asked the question, Anpyeong immediately took the words.

“It’s about the issue of recording folk songs.”

“Grand Prince!”

Park Yeon exclaimed in surprise, but Anpyeong did not back down.

“Director! Isn’t this the perfect place! Let’s settle it here and now!”

Just as the third round of ‘Anpyeong VS Park Yeon’ was about to begin, a new guest was entering the room located across a small hallway from the room where Hyang and his party were.

“The Crown Prince suddenly going to a gibang, I wonder what’s going on?”

The one who entered the room was King Sejong.