There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 154

My Joseon Has No Sejong – Episode 155

Living with my younger brothers in the East Palace allowed me to closely monitor their progress.

After a cursory pass through the Four Books, Grand Prince Hyoryeong didn’t seem particularly interested in further study.

Of course, this was partly due to the example I had set.

“A man only needs to know how to write his name; what’s the point of studying more?”

“Isn’t it because you said useless things like that that Bo also threw away his books!”

“But he was good at reading Buddhist scriptures, wasn’t he?”

Like the Great Vaipulya Sutra of Adornment, which details the life of the super-powerful Buddha. [A Mahayana Buddhist scripture emphasizing the interconnectedness of all things.]

The characteristic of this book is that it was written hundreds of years after the Buddha’s death, incorporating many mythological elements.

He might be reading this sacred scripture with the same excitement as reading a martial arts novel.

He’s a Buddhist enthusiast [a term derived from the German word ‘fan,’ used to describe someone with intense passion for a particular subject] who left his mark on history, but he probably isn’t reading it to grasp the profound mysteries of Buddhism at such a young age.

If he masters Buddhist martial arts and learns the Tathagata Palm [a fictional powerful martial arts technique], it would be quite intimidating to have him as a brother.

Lee Seong-gye [the founder and first king of the Joseon Dynasty] would probably approve, though.

Meanwhile, Yi Bang-won’s eldest son, Bi (裶), born to Concubine Hyo-bin Kim, was also old enough to begin his education, so I hired a teacher.

The sound of him reading aloud with his still-developing pronunciation echoed in the East Palace.

The youngest brother, being a newborn, remained wrapped in blankets in the Central Palace and was therefore excluded.

So, what was the promising Crown Prince Chungnyeong, Yi Do, doing?

“It’s not fun.”

He tossed the book aside.

The book was well-worn, indicating he had read it extensively.

I had provided him with quite a few books related to phonology [the study of speech sounds], and he had been absorbed in them for a while, but he seemed to have grown tired of them as well.

‘What should I do with this kid?’

I pondered.

After I prematurely abandoned my studies, and as a result of the butterfly effect, Grand Prince Hyoryeong also stopped after skimming the Four Books, all of my parents’ expectations were now focused on Do.

– You’re the only one in our family who will make a name for himself in academics!

‘Is Seong리학 [Neo-Confucianism] the only legitimate field of study (학문)?’

I wanted to argue that point, but in this era, only Neo-Confucianism is considered a true field of study, so there’s nothing I can do.

Yi Bang-won, who had passed the Goryeo civil service exam, always lamented that no one in our family, except for his father, was particularly devoted to academic pursuits (학문).

At this point, Yi Bang-won seemed determined to cultivate Do, who showed such promise, into a great scholar.

“The scholars of the Crown Prince’s Office of Lectures are already occupied with the Grand Prince’s education or teaching at Sungkyunkwan [the highest educational institution in Joseon].”

“Those guys have their own responsibilities… and weren’t they the ones who turned down our eldest son?”

That’s true.

I advised Yi Bang-won, who was concerned about this.

“Wouldn’t it be better to have him study at Sungkyunkwan?”

He would have to interact with some less privileged students, but isn’t that what all child prodigies do?

A similar suggestion had already been raised at the women’s gathering (부녀회).

“Your Majesty (중전 마마), the Grand Prince is exceptionally bright, so let him study at the village school (학당).”

“That’s right. How wonderful would that be? He’ll also make friends (동무들).”

As I worried, it’s difficult for princes to make friends.

The system for that isn’t even established yet.

Originally, there were children called baedong [attendants] who were supposed to be playmates, but since they were kids who came in to serve the Crown Prince, the baedong system had never been implemented because I was always running around outside.

‘What’s fun about being with kids?’

But it didn’t meet the approval of Queen Wongyeong, a member of the most prestigious families (갑족) among the Three Han’s most prestigious families (삼한갑족).

“The level of the teachers teaching at the village school (학당) is questionable, so how can I entrust our Chungnyeong to them?”

Even her maternal grandfather, Min Je, was a renowned scholar, so she disapproved of the selection.

“Then who on earth…?”

“I heard that a person named Jeong Jong-seong is quite capable (괜찮다고). Summon him and have him take on the role of your brother’s teacher.”

Jeong Jong-seong was the son of the late Poeun Jeong Mong-ju [a prominent scholar and statesman of the late Goryeo period], and he was well-known for inheriting his father’s integrity and scholarship (학문).

To try to summon such a person with a simple gesture.

‘Ugh.’

However, Yi Bang-won was worried for other reasons.

“Jeong Jong-seong. It’s good that he inherited Poeun’s academic lineage (학맥), but…”

Yi Bang-won said.

“Do you know that Jeong Jong-seong was known as one of the nine filial sons (효자) at the end of Goryeo?”

“…Was he?”

In this era, there were quite a few cases where fathers supported Goryeo but sons took office in Joseon, and their fates diverged.

But Jeong Jong-seong was a bit special among them, as he was the son of Jeong Mong-ju, whose head was smashed by Yi Bang-won, who is currently on the throne.

Moreover, he was famous as a filial son (효자), so there was no chance that he was an unfilial child (패륜아) who didn’t care about his father’s end.

What would happen if the person who smashed the head of that filial son’s (효자) father entrusted his son to him?

“I did reinstate Jeong Mong-ju’s honor, but will Jeong Jong-seong really be okay with it?”

‘Isn’t that because of Father’s karma?’

But for that reason, Jeong Jong-seong was eliminated.

‘As expected, Yi Bang-won is an unavoidable father.’

I thought so.

Then Yi Bang-won opened his mouth.

“Come to think of it, there’s a story that came up from Yesangjeong [a type of establishment providing entertainment and information].”

As expected, he’s making good use of the establishment (요정) I gave him.

“It’s a story that some high-ranking officials (중신들) were talking about… Gil Jae is coming up to Hanyang.”

Gil Jae.

Even before falling into Joseon, I had only heard the name in passing.

I think he was said to be one of the last loyalists of Goryeo.

‘He was still alive?’

I thought he had died more than ten years ago.

Yi Bang-won licked his lips and said.

“It’s a waste to let him remain idle (놀려두긴) as a commoner (야인), but would you like to use your influence for your brother?”

“…Wouldn’t Jeong Jong-seong be better?”

Entrust a Joseon prince to a Goryeo loyalist?

===

Just because he was a Goryeo loyalist doesn’t mean he was completely ostracized in Joseon.

You can see that Choi Young and Jeong Mong-ju were both reinstated not long after Joseon was founded.

In that situation, even though he lived in seclusion (은거했다), Gil Jae’s reputation did not easily fade away.

He was a loyalist of the fallen nation (망국), but weren’t the officials who took office in Joseon all related to him by blood and academic lineage (학맥)?

As long as he didn’t openly antagonize the Joseon court, no one would say anything even if they praised him appropriately.

In fact, Gil Jae was also a famous Confucian scholar.

“It’s the second time since Joseon was founded.”

The first time was when he briefly stopped by Gaegyeong on his way to refuse the government position (벼슬) offered by Joseon, but he didn’t feel much at that time.

At that time, it was no different from Namgyeong during the Goryeo period.

But now, after several years, Hanyang was completely different.

“It’s a different world, just like you said.”

Gil Jae, who was holding Kim Suk-ja’s hand, said so unintentionally.

“Isn’t it?”

When Kim Suk-ja asked excitedly, Gil Jae nodded.

The stalls of the neatly lined market streets (시전) were filled with goods waiting for their owners, and the people passing by didn’t seem to have any worries.

Those in the provinces didn’t realize it, but the development of the merchants of Hanyang (한상) and the influx of wealthy commoners (부민) had brought quite a bit of affluence to Hanyang.

“The roads are also incredibly big.”

People were constantly walking on the main road that Kim Suk-ja pointed to. Many of them were still dressed in shabby clothes, but considering that many people in the provinces still lived in cave-like houses, it was a world of difference.

Thinking of his hometown, Gil Jae shook his head.

“Gaegyeong’s prosperity was also splendid, but it eventually collapsed as Goryeo declined. Prosperity and decline (흥망) depends not on splendor but on the people.”

Even if a small number of Hanyang people are enjoying wealth, what does it matter if this wealth is not spread throughout the country?

That’s why Gil Jae became more interested in the business that the Crown Prince was preparing.

Originally, he was going to go straight to Yeouido right after crossing the Han River, but he had already informed his fellow disciples (사형제들) and disciples, so he had to stay in the capital for a day.

Gil Jae was thinking of taking a look around Yeouido after that, but that night he received an unexpected request.

“The Crown Prince is calling for me?”

===

According to my limited knowledge of the future, Gil Jae was the founder of the Sarim faction [a faction of Confucian scholars].

And what kind of people are the Sarim…? I recalled the explanation that Hyung Jin-hyuk had once given me.

– It’s not like the Sarim were people with a sense of reality.

When Seongjong [the ninth king of the Joseon Dynasty] made a copper canteen, the Sarim insisted on changing it to stone because it was a luxury, but in fact, making it out of stone cost more money.

– Then aren’t they complete Confucian extremists (유교 Taliban)?

– No, that’s a bit harsh… Actually, these people also have their own…

I think he gave some additional explanations after that, but I forgot them all.

Originally, I had a vague positive image of the Sarim, but after hearing this explanation, it was shattered.

Anyway, Gil Jae, who was summoned before my eyes, looked quite upright, as befitting his reputation as a Goryeo loyalist.

“I greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

‘Whew.’

I let out a sigh of relief.

Even though he’s a Goryeo loyalist, he acknowledges that I’m the Crown Prince.

If he had said something like ‘Naeuri’ [a term of respect used in Goryeo] instead of the Crown Prince like the Six Martyred Ministers [six officials who were executed for plotting to restore the deposed king Danjong] here, I don’t know how I would have reacted.

“You wanted to come here.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Gil Jae, who had been looking around Yeouido for a while, tilting his head slightly or admiring it, then said to me.

“Who devised this system of undeveloped island (너벌섬) in Yeouido?”

“Me.”

“Did you refer to the well-field system (정전제) of the Zhou Dynasty?”

Well-field system (정전제).

From what I’ve learned here, it’s about making one central piece of land a public field (공전) and cultivating the remaining eight as private fields (사전), right?

It seems like the cooperative organization I created looked similar to that.

But the reality is completely different.

“I thought of it myself. The well-field system (정전제) is difficult to apply to the entire country.”

I explained diligently.

I’m mobilizing people to acquire know-how to improve rural life and increase income.

Gil Jae, who was listening to me, said.

“I’ve never even heard of the New Village Movement [a rural development program in South Korea] or the production base creation project. Did Your Highness the Crown Prince think of all this?”

To be exact, it’s a cooperative organization benchmarked from other countries and the result of South Korea’s independent development, but anyway, I’m the inventor here.

“That’s right.”

The introduction of farming methods and agricultural tools, and the maintenance of irrigation facilities.

Instead of just doing what the magistrate tells them to do and just looking at the governor’s mouth, it was showing the effect of inducing mutual competition and voluntarily coming forward to create a good village to live in.

After I finished speaking, Gil Jae had a look on his face like, ‘How could the grandson of a military commander think of this?’

“Of course. I’m not just the grandson of a simple military commander.”

I replied.

Then Gil Jae was startled.

Was that what he really thought?

Then he protested in a small voice.

“I admit that Your Highness has found a new plan. But if no one has ever done this before, isn’t the result still unknown?”

Well…

The New Village Movement was a proven project in the modern era I was in.

It’s not just effective in South Korea.

Since the times are different, the effects of these living improvement projects and income increase projects may be less than expected, but there will definitely be changes.

‘Oh ho.’

I looked at Gil Jae’s eyes.

They were eyes filled with the unique uprightness and antipathy towards Joseon.

I don’t know what was better about the late Goryeo that this person lived in than the current Joseon.

Anyway, I judged that I could carry out the quest given by Yi Bang-won if I stimulated that emotion.

“Then would you like to bet with me?”

“A bet?”

“How about staying here and watching whether the experiment being conducted here in Yeouido will succeed or fail?”

Gil Jae’s face, which had frowned at the word ‘bet,’ was filled with curiosity.

“Don’t worry about lodging and food. There’s a shortage of scholars to play the role of teacher in Yeouido, so I’ll support you generously.”

Gil Jae blinked.

The founder of the Sarim.