There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 107

Getting a response from Bulno was easier than eating a piece of cake.

“Daring to threaten the Retired King and falsely claiming to be a royal descendant, your name has been mentioned in treasonous plots, a crime worthy of death. Do you need to be escorted to the Uigeumbu [a Joseon Dynasty judicial office] for interrogation to come to your senses?”

Although Bulno’s name wasn’t explicitly stated, it was essentially the same thing.

Upon hearing that he was involved in Lee Geo-yi’s rebellion, Bulno trembled like an aspen leaf.

“Wh, what are you talking about…”

“Choose quickly. If you stay in Hanyang [the capital city of Joseon], you’ll die.”

I tapped his cheek with the bayonet, and Bulno looked at it with fearful eyes.

The waiting time wasn’t long.

Bulno bowed his head to the ground and said.

“I, I am but a servant of Buddha (佛奴), yet I have not been interested in spreading Buddhism, a great sin indeed. I wish to atone by going north and spreading the teachings to the Jurchens. Please, allow me.”

I was glad he was so cooperative.

‘Whew.’

Thinking about that time still made me clutch my chest.

Trying to threaten someone when I’m such a nice person was nerve-wracking, but I’m glad it worked out.

I ordered Muhak and the other monks to recruit people to go north.

“Are you saying we should go beyond the Tumen River?”

“In the old Silla Dynasty, Hyecho went all the way to India to seek Buddhist scriptures. Is the Tumen River such a big deal?”

However, the monks were reluctant to go to the cold, Jurchen-filled north, so recruitment was difficult.

I decided to issue a general amnesty.

“Recruit those among the monks in the gulag who regret their past wrongdoings.”

As I predicted, many monks volunteered for this missionary work with fervent enthusiasm.

Having been reborn as true disciples of Buddha through labor re-education, they were overflowing with the desire to spread Buddhism to the Jurchens.

“Isn’t it because you told them to choose between rotting in the gulag for life or suffering in the north for only ten years?”

Noh Bun asked.

“Hush, I am benevolently releasing those who have sinned, and they are grateful for my grace and have vowed to contribute to creating a Buddhist paradise.

Why do you distort this beautiful deed like that?”

I sternly scolded Noh Bun.

“I can’t tell if Your Highness genuinely believes that or if you’re just saying it.”

Noh Bun scratched his head and said.

“Stop talking nonsense and watch the children.”

I turned my gaze to my younger brothers, who were busily playing in a corner of the East Palace.

It was heartwarming to see them growing up so much and sweating.

– Thwack, thwack.

“Ugh, ugh!”

The rope spun around, and Do was making strange noises as he hopped over it.

It was individual jump rope.

I thought it would be better to have them jump rope than just run around, so I made something by twisting vine stalks, and it was surprisingly elastic.

I put my hands together and shouted in that direction.

“Just ten more to go! Keep it up!”

“Hee, hee, you said, that earlier…”

He’s quick with numbers, so he noticed right away.

Still, he has to do 100.

“You have to burn off all the late-night snacks you ate yesterday!”

“H, how did you know about that…”

The East Palace is my home; is there anything I wouldn’t know?

I took my eyes off them and looked elsewhere.

Grand Prince Hyoryeong was diligently playing in the dirt with the young maids.

‘He seems to be pretending to be quiet, but he seems to have a lot of luck with women.’

Living with my brothers in one place for days on end, I gradually began to notice their characteristics.

My half-brother, waddling over there, is still too young to know.

“Please play with the youngest prince a little too.”

“Um, okay… I should.”

I answered awkwardly.

Regardless, Noh Bun took the baby from the maid and coaxed him.

The half-brother giggled and pinched Noh Bun’s face.

“Ouch, that hurts, little prince!”

Noh Bun pretended to be dying as he said that.

For some reason, I felt annoyed and smacked Noh Bun on the back of the head.

“You never listen to me, but you’re giving this kid everything.”

“Your Highness, you were like this when you were young too.”

Noh Bun retorted.

“Was I?”

Grand Prince Yangnyeong doesn’t remember either, so I don’t know.

It’s a story from childhood, after all.

But unlike Noh Bun, I couldn’t just see this child as cute.

I called Grand Prince Hyoryeong, who had come in to wash his hands after playing in the dirt, and asked.

“Has Mother ever said anything about the youngest prince?”

‘That lowly thing is not your brother, so never get close to him!’

It would be a big problem if she said something like that.

If my younger brothers still believed those words and bullied my half-brother, our family would be ruined that day.

“Umm…”

Hyoryeong tilted his head and said.

“She didn’t say anything like that.”

I sighed in relief.

I thought that even if they heard such words, they wouldn’t obey because they are good kids, but they are still young.

“Instead, she told me to tell you to come to the Queen’s residence on the fifteenth.”

Hyoryeong said.

“Why?”

I asked, dumbfounded.

Of course, I had an idea.

Her gaze has been unusual every time I go to pay my respects these days.

‘Is she going to question me for bringing my half-brother to the East Palace?’

I felt dazed.

===

But having heard this, I couldn’t ignore my mother’s command.

With a trembling heart, I headed to Queen Wongyeong’s residence.

“D, do I have to come too?”

“We have to live and die together, right?”

“Why me too…”

Noh Bun muttered.

Taking a deep breath, I entered the Queen’s residence, and the scent of tea wafted out.

‘Huh?’

Queen Wongyeong wasn’t the only one in the Queen’s residence.

Well-dressed noblewomen were lined up on both sides, chatting.

Each table had glutinous rice donuts like Gaeseong Juak [a traditional Korean sweet], and a cup of good tea was served.

And at the end, in the seat of honor, Queen Wongyeong was looking straight at me.

‘Eek.’

A sharp gaze reached me.

It was clearly a look of reproach for accepting Concubine Hyo’s son into the East Palace.

To be exact…

‘I trusted our eldest son, but you’re taking your father’s side and upsetting your mother?’

She had the same face.

But aware of the people next to her, her gaze soon softened.

“Come in, Crown Prince.”

“Yes, yes…”

As I awkwardly stepped in, I heard exclamations from the well-raised women.

“Are you perhaps having a meeting of the women’s association?”

“Yes. I’ve invited friends I’ve known since my days in my private residence, and we’ve decided to have regular meetings from today.”

Phew, I’m glad there’s a women’s association meeting today.

At least I won’t be questioned in this place.

‘Wait, then why did she call me today of all days?’

Regardless, the women looked at my face and said a word each.

“The Crown Prince has grown up to be such a handsome man; it’s a blessing for the dynasty.”

“That’s right. I wish my child was even half as good as the Crown Prince…”

I suddenly felt like I was putting on a talent show in front of my mom’s friends, and my face flushed.

“He’s carrying the weight of national affairs even at a young age, so he must be very reliable.”

Queen Wongyeong nodded at those words.

“That’s true, and privately, he’s the most filial son. He’s so devoted that he treats his mother well, but he’s also very affectionate with his siblings.

He even brought his half-brother, who is only half-related by blood, to the East Palace to raise him.”

There was a bone in her words.

I was sweating profusely.

“Not only me, but the Grand Princes are also very intelligent and filial. Mother, you are blessed to be so fortunate.”

I deliberately omitted mentioning my half-brother, and only then did Queen Wongyeong relax her expression.

I barely wiped away the sweat.

As I sat on one side and drank tea, I naturally overheard the stories the women’s association members were telling each other.

It’s nice to be in Hanyang, but there are still shortcomings, so our women’s association should step in and fix them, and so on.

“We’re not strangers to Lee Geo-yi’s family, and the remaining women and children have become pitiful. The men of the family did wrong, but what did their wives and daughters do wrong?

Even though they’ve been reduced to commoners, shouldn’t we at least send them some food?”

“As expected, we can’t keep up with the Queen’s thoughtfulness.”

It was a measure to ease the atmosphere of fear and reduce Lee Bang-won’s political burden by taking care of Lee Geo-yi’s wives and children in her own way.

‘Looking at things like this, she’s doing a great job as an internal support.’

I was relieved that things seemed to be going well.

I had told Queen Wongyeong to create such an organization at her request, but I was worried that it might become a secret power organization and become Lee Bang-won’s target.

I took a sip of tea, feeling relieved.

“But I didn’t know the Crown Prince had grown up so well.”

The story had come full circle and I was the topic again.

“That’s right. He’s old enough to get married now.”

“Is that so?”

Queen Wongyeong said with a smile.

“The people here are all wives of prestigious families, so there might be someone who will become our in-law.”

“Ptooey!”

I spat out the tea.

I’m still young enough to not have graduated elementary school in modern times, but marriage?

‘Ah, well, they do get married early in this era.’

Still, I don’t think there was a description in ‘The Land of Morning Calm’ [likely referring to a historical record or novel] that Grand Prince Yangnyeong got married so early.

I coughed and protested.

“Isn’t it too early?”

“Hehe, our eldest seems to be shy. Of course, I’m just joking. How could I decide such a thing on my own?”

Queen Wongyeong teased me by calling me by my childhood name.

But the gazes of the women looking at my face were already unusual.

‘I think I’ve become a target.’

They also realized it from Queen Wongyeong’s remarks just now.

That anyone among them could become the in-laws of the next king.

And the Queen’s opinion cannot be excluded from the selection of the Crown Princess, so their competition for loyalty to Queen Wongyeong will continue in the future.

‘What a terrifying scheme!’

I felt fear as I looked at my mother.

Being an in-law when my father is Lee Bang-won was like finding my own death, but these people don’t know that yet.

As silence briefly lingered in the room, remarks towards Queen Wongyeong poured out in a rush.

“Come to think of it, the Queen’s skin is so beautiful.”

“Perhaps it’s because she was born into a family of the Samhan aristocracy from birth, but the other concubines can’t even compare.”

“Speaking of which, how can those who only know how to cultivate beauty to gain favor compare their intelligence and refinement to the Queen?”

“Someone from Concubine Hyo’s background can’t even dare to imitate the Queen’s dignity.”

Then the corners of Queen Wongyeong’s lips briefly turned up, but she soon gently scolded.

“Even if their birth is lowly, it’s not right to put down other concubines like that. It can cause great harm.”

“Ah, I made a big mistake. Please forgive me…”

‘It’s completely a conversation between a villain and her maids.’

I thought so.

I shook my head.

I don’t know when I’ll get married, but I should never start such a love triangle.

===

“You’re sending Bulno to the north?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

He must have already finished preparing to go north with that gang.

I ended up giving a report after the fact, but Lee Bang-won didn’t seem to care much.

“You intervened to save Bulno.”

“I just thought that method was the best for everyone.

…Did Father think differently?”

I asked that, just in case.

I couldn’t let him fail because of me if he was planning to kill Bulno by finding fault with Lee Geo-yi’s rebellion.

“It doesn’t matter. I wasn’t planning to touch him while the Retired King was alive. I’ve just created a reason to take him out and cut off his head at any time.”

Lee Bang-won said.

So, he wasn’t going to kill him right away because of my great-uncle, but he included him just in case, since he didn’t know what would happen in the future.

Lee Bang-won’s purge circuit is truly terrifying.

‘Ugh. What on earth is my father thinking?’

“You’re not planning to destroy my family like that too, are you?”

Was it because the story of marriage came up recently? I asked that thoughtlessly.

Then Lee Bang-won’s expression became subtle.

End