There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 105

My intervention had split the Jongchin-bu [Royal Clan Council] into two factions, leading to a fierce war of appeals.

The conflict between those with vested interests and those without was more significant than I had anticipated.

However, even with all the machinations I had set in motion, Lee Bang-won remained silent.

‘Ugh, if only Father would support Prince Sun-nyeong while pretending not to know,’ I thought.

In reality, Grand Prince Uian, a true force, held far more power than Prince Sun-nyeong, who had returned to a quiet life.

So, it seemed the tide was gradually turning in favor of Grand Prince Uian.

I tried to seek out Lee Bang-won to ask him to make a decision, but I couldn’t achieve my goal.

When not attending to state affairs, Lee Bang-won maintained a strict policy of refusing visitors under the pretext of praying for the complete recovery of Grand Prince Igan.

He only occasionally summoned close aides like Ha Ryun and Jo Young-moo, making it difficult even for me to meet him.

So, when Lee Bang-won finally called for me, I rushed over as if I had been waiting for it.

“Is everything going well?”

“The forces on both sides are too evenly matched… It’s difficult to predict what will happen,” I told Lee Bang-won.

In truth, things were somewhat unfavorable, but I couldn’t afford to complain.

Lee Bang-won nodded and said, “You cleverly brought in Prince Sun-nyeong. Is he now one of your people?”

I wished that were the case, but unfortunately, it wasn’t yet.

Even with Lee Seong-gye’s words, Prince Sun-nyeong still seemed conflicted.

“He has merely assisted me in this matter.”

“Prince Sun-nyeong is a loyal man. Bringing him over to your side would be a great help,” Lee Bang-won said.

I sensed a hidden meaning in his calm demeanor.

“Are you not worried?”

“About what?”

“He did oppose Father, after all…”

Lee Bang-won smiled and said, “True, but hasn’t the deposed Crown Prince already died? And the Grand King, who receives his loyalty, is also favorably disposed towards you.”

Lee Bang-won continued, “Politics has no eternal enemies or eternal allies.

Just as I am demanding that those who once followed me relinquish their meritorious subject land [land granted for distinguished service], and you have brought in Prince Sun-nyeong, who was once hostile to me.”

“But aren’t those meritorious subjects the people who shared the same boat with Father?”

“Perhaps.”

Lee Bang-won twirled a pencil.

Although brushes were still used for official documents, nothing beat a pencil for simple note-taking.

“I wonder if that’s really the case.”

His tone was strangely meaningful.

I pressed Lee Bang-won. “In any case, at this rate, it will be difficult to reach a conclusion easily. Does Father have any methods in mind?”

“You should be the one thinking about that.”

I was infuriated by Lee Bang-won’s irresponsible attitude.

His attitude suggested he didn’t care whether it worked out or not.

Wasn’t this an important issue for Lee Bang-won as well?

‘No, wasn’t this a task Father gave me in the first place!’ I wanted to shout, but Lee Bang-won remained calm.

“Don’t you know what to do?”

“No. Please give me some advice.”

“Haven’t I told you before?”

Lee Bang-won slowly opened his mouth. “If you want to use someone, you must give them what they want.”

“Yes? What Grand Prince Uian wants?” I blankly looked at Lee Bang-won and asked.

But Lee Bang-won shook his head.

“When did I say Grand Prince Uian?”

If not Grand Prince Uian…

‘Ah.’

Could it be…

===

Grand Prince Uian, Lee Hwa, visited Grand Prince Igan’s residence after a long time.

He went straight to the main room and asked, “Is my nephew here?”

Then, the door burst open, and Grand Prince Igan, Lee Bang-ui, appeared, looking gaunt.

“What brings you here, Uncle?”

“Why, I came to check on you since I heard your illness was serious,” Lee Hwa said.

“Is that really all?” Lee Bang-ui asked suspiciously as he lay down.

“Many other Jongchin have already visited to inquire about your health. They asked what to do about the meritorious subject land issue.”

“Tsk, tsk, these people.” Lee Hwa clicked his tongue, but he himself had come for the same purpose, so his words sounded hollow.

Lee Bang-ui looked at him and said, “In truth, as a member of the royal family of this country, I have enjoyed more than enough wealth and honor, so what difference would it make whether I have meritorious subject land or not?”

“Ahem!”

Grand Prince Igan didn’t seem to have much desire, even though he had received a considerable amount of land as a reward for supporting his brother’s coup.

Lee Hwa said, as if frustrated, “You may be as benevolent as a bodhisattva, but you must think of your descendants.”

“No matter how much land you have, it’s useless if you can’t protect it. That’s what I’m most worried about,” Lee Bang-ui said.

Then, a voice of agreement was heard from outside.

“That’s right. Grand Prince Uian, stop it.”

“Prince Sun-nyeong.” Lee Hwa met eyes with Prince Sun-nyeong, Lee Ji.

They were all of the same generation as Lee Seong-gye and were outstanding warriors, but there was clearly a difference in their positions.

“Has the person who sows discord among our Jongsil [royal lineage] now come to persuade even Grand Prince Igan? You should live quietly after being exiled!” Lee Hwa shouted.

“I am only speaking for the sake of this country.”

“Hmph, isn’t this just venting your anger on us?”

The two sharply confronted each other.

Even in front of a patient, their momentum didn’t subside.

Grand Prince Igan barely opened his mouth and said, “Both of you, please stop. His Highness the Crown Prince is in the next room.”

“The Crown Prince?” Lee Hwa’s eyes widened as he asked.

As if on cue, Crown Prince Lee Je ran over from the next room and shouted, “What are you doing while my great-uncle is sick!”

“Y-Your Highness.” Lee Hwa stammered.

If it were just them, it wouldn’t matter, but with the Crown Prince scolding them, they couldn’t continue the conversation.

Thus, Grand Prince Uian gestured to Prince Sun-nyeong.

It was a signal to talk separately among themselves.

Taking advantage of that gap, Crown Prince Lee Je was able to sit face to face with Grand Prince Igan without the intervention of other Jongchin.

===

Following Lee Bang-won’s advice, I visited Grand Prince Igan.

However, the Jongchin were always surrounding him, so there was no chance to have a private conversation.

If I hadn’t called Prince Sun-nyeong to start a fight, it would have been difficult to create such a natural opportunity.

‘When I met him before, Great-Uncle didn’t seem to have great desires.’

He wanted to live without suffering a great misfortune rather than his descendants achieving success.

I started by bursting into tears. “Sob! Great-Uncle. It breaks my heart to see your illness has worsened so much.”

“Your Highness…” Grand Prince Igan’s eyes also turned red.

This great-uncle was also a sentimental person.

But the next moment, Lee Bang-ui wiped away his tears and calmed himself.

Then, he said to me, “I am grateful that Your Highness has come, but I don’t think you have come merely to comfort someone who is about to die. Please tell me what is on your mind.”

Ah.

Although he doesn’t have desires, he is perceptive.

I hesitated for a moment before getting to the point. “Father wishes to collect the meritorious subject land. It would be much easier if Great-Uncle would set an example.”

“So that’s what it was.” Lee Bang-ui turned his gaze and said, “I am very disappointed in my son.”

“I will take responsibility for your nephew. Not only your cousins but also your grand-nephews will be under the protection of this Crown Prince,” I firmly stated.

It was a promise to give him a kind of protection against criticism.

What Great-Uncle wanted was this.

In other words, I am bribing the bedridden Grand Prince Igan.

Grand Prince Igan wore a bitter expression.

But I knew.

Lee Bang-ui had no choice but to accept this offer.

‘Damn it, this feels awful.’

It wasn’t a pleasant experience.

===

“Grand Prince Igan has submitted an appeal! He said he would return the meritorious subject land to the country when he dies!”

“What?” Lee Hwa jumped up.

What on earth was this guy trying to do?

“I-It could be simple humility. His Majesty’s affection for his brother is so great that he wouldn’t accept it, would he? It could be a show of beautiful virtue…”

“Then he would have told us in advance!” Lee Hwa exclaimed.

“When Grand Prince Igan dies, a mood of mourning will be created, and his donation of the meritorious subject land will become a great tale of virtue, tying our hands.

If His Majesty accepts this, it would be the same as agreeing to the recovery of the meritorious subject land, so we must prevent it at all costs!”

Lee Hwa immediately headed to Changdeok Palace.

‘There is still a chance. If our Jongchin and meritorious subjects unite.’

“Your Majesty, I have something urgent to tell you…”

Lee Hwa, who had rushed into the Pyeonjeon [council hall] and was about to rattle off words like a machine gun, suddenly stopped.

Already, Left State Councilor Ha Ryun, Prince Wansan Lee Cheon-woo, Training Commander Jo Young-moo, and other key aides of the King were gathered there.

‘What is going on?’ Lee Hwa was momentarily flustered.

Were they gathered to deal with Grand Prince Igan’s appeal?

But there was no way these people would all be gathered for such a matter.

“I was about to call you anyway, Grand Prince Uian. Sit down,” Lee Bang-won said.

“Yes…” Lee Hwa had no choice but to say that first and then sit down carefully in front of Lee Bang-won.

“This is an issue that cannot be suddenly revealed in public, so I have called only those I particularly trust. Training Commander, speak.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” At Lee Bang-won’s words, Jo Young-moo stepped forward and said, “Four years ago, Lee Geo-yi, the Yeongsa Pyeongbu Affairs Officer [official title], and others called me and had a secret discussion.

The content was that ‘we are wealthy and honored now, but we don’t know what will happen in the future, so let’s kill all of His Majesty’s sons and support the Grand King’s son.’”

Before Jo Young-moo could finish speaking, Lee Hwa’s face turned white.

‘Treason!’

Lee Geo-yi was a meritorious subject who supported Lee Bang-won as the royal family’s son-in-law.

Until recently, Lee Hwa had been actively meeting with him.

Lee Bang-won’s words continued. “I already heard about this matter from Jo Young-moo four years ago, but I warned him not to leak it out of caution.”

It was absurd.

There was a plot to kill all his children and support Lee Bang-gwa’s son, and he had kept it a secret for four years.

“Your Majesty, this is no ordinary treason. Now that Lee Geo-yi and the Training Commander are both old, it will be difficult to distinguish the truth if one of them dies.

We must inform all the court officials and interrogate them through cross-examination.” As if waiting for it, Left State Councilor Ha Ryun said.

Cold sweat trickled down Lee Hwa’s back.

The requests for the return of meritorious subject land from Prince Sun-nyeong and Grand Prince Igan were just side issues.

While he was distracted by them, a huge event was unfolding beneath the surface.

‘Since when has this conspiracy been prepared?’ Lee Hwa thought as he looked at Jo Young-moo.

This was Lee Bang-won’s grand trap to check the meritorious subjects.

‘To take out one meritorious subject with an inflated head as an example and completely tame us….’

And Lee Geo-yi, who had opposed the disbandment of private soldiers, would have been chosen.

“Well, what do you think?” Lee Bang-won asked, looking around the room with a nonchalant expression.

Creating such a gathering with only meritorious subjects was a sign to organize their positions.

‘If you oppose, you will die unconditionally.’

The Jongchin, including Lee Hwa and Lee Cheon-woo, all knew that.

Lee Hwa opened his mouth with difficulty. “The Left State Councilor’s words are indeed correct. Please disclose it to the various officials and investigate thoroughly.”

It was an expression of completely cutting ties with Lee Geo-yi.

“How can we leave such a heinous intention alone? We must thoroughly investigate the truth and rectify the Jongsa [royal ancestral shrine].”

“Y-Your words are indeed correct.” Lee Hwa had no choice but to say that.

With this, the purge of Lee Geo-yi was decided under the agreement of ‘all’ the meritorious subjects.

“Ah, and Grand Prince Uian.” Lee Bang-won tapped the desk and turned his gaze to Lee Hwa.

Lee Hwa was startled.

“I heard you had something to say.”

“…It’s nothing.”

In this situation, he couldn’t ask for the rejection of Grand Prince Igan’s request to donate the meritorious subject land.

He had only expected a protracted political struggle, but he never imagined that the blade of purge would be at his throat like this.

Lee Hwa had no choice but to remain silent.

“Is that so?” It seemed like a smile flashed across the King’s lips.