There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 158

‘Is His Majesty testing his successor?’

Chief State Councilor Ha Ryun had been on edge ever since the Crown Prince first entered the royal office to oversee state affairs.

To have his son act as regent under the guise of mourning his brother’s death.

‘Even so, it’s not an official regency.’

In reality, the regency system had never been implemented since the founding of Joseon.

During the reign of the retired king, Yi Bang-won, who was both his younger brother and the Crown Prince, held actual power, but it wasn’t an official regency.

This time, the Crown Prince was only filling in for a few days until the King returned, and the King had already finished all the important tasks, so it was hardly a proper regency.

Therefore, the Crown Prince only needed to lie low and handle the assigned tasks.

But…

‘Can the Crown Prince do that with his personality?’

A normal person would just kill time and step down, but the Crown Prince’s mental state is extraordinary in many ways.

Ha Ryun would shake his head if asked if this was a positive thing, but that’s why he had an even worse feeling.

He knew that the King cherished the Crown Prince, but both he and the King knew that power could not be shared, even between father and son.

So, this could be an opportunity to closely observe whether the Crown Prince would act out of line.

In this situation, a conflict with the officials arose.

‘How will the Crown Prince handle this?’

Ha Ryun swallowed hard, watching the clash between the Crown Prince and the officials.

===

The first to open fire was Kwon Geun.

He was a leading figure in compiling the recently completed historical book, *Dongguk Saryak* [Comprehensive Mirror of the Eastern Kingdom], so he was quite an authority.

*I haven’t read it myself, though.*

“Your Highness, Balhae was a Malgal [ancestral to the Jurchen/Manchu people] state adjacent to Silla [one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea] and has no relation to us. Now that we have encompassed that land, what connection does it have to the legitimacy of our dynasty that we should hold a memorial service for Balhae?”

Then he said.

“When I compiled the *Dongguk Saryak* a few years ago, I also criticized, ‘What does it matter to us that the Khitans betrayed Balhae, that Taejo [posthumous name of Wang Geon, founder of Goryeo] of Goryeo should seek revenge for Balhae?’ All these words came from this reasoning.”

Then, Kwon Geun spewed out reasons one after another.

‘Ugh.’

You can’t try to persuade these people in a textbook manner.

If I were to engage in a debate with historical evidence, it would definitely drag on endlessly.

My younger brother, Chungnyeong, might like it, though.

‘No, the problem isn’t that it will drag on, but that I’m more likely to lose.’

With the knowledge I picked up in the past, I knew that Wang Geon called Balhae a country of relatives, and there were records of Balhae internally referring to itself as Goryeo, but I don’t know where they came from or if they are known records now.

Instead, I decided to be brazen.

“Does that kind of thing matter?”

“Yes?”

Kwon Geun asked blankly.

“No, now that we’ve taken the land south of Gongheomjin [a strategic fortress], it’s our history from now on. Then are the Jurchens living in the north not our people?”

Kwon Geun was flustered when I cleverly brought up the principle of territoriality.

This guy is surprisingly easily flustered when you catch him off guard.

It’s fun to tease him.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

While Kwon Geun was stunned, one of the officers stepped forward and said.

“Your Highness, although Dae Jo-yeong [founder of Balhae] was a former general of Goguryeo [ancient Korean kingdom], he merely led the Malgal barbarians to establish a country, so he cannot be seen as part of the legitimacy of the Three Han [ancient Korean kingdoms]. How can we call him our ancestor?”

I’s eyes lit up at those words.

‘Perfect timing.’

“Ahem!”

I shouted.

“Our Grand King [referring to King Taejo, Yi Seong-gye] also based himself in the north as a former general of Goryeo, leading the Jurchens on his left and right to establish a dynasty. Are you now calling His Grandfather a barbarian!”

‘To be honest, I think he’s half barbarian, but.’

The Yi Seong-gye I know was more than qualified to be called a barbarian, but I spoke shamelessly.

‘This is a frame fight.’

The interpretation of history is ultimately influenced by political positions.

These people are also arguing to cut ties with Balhae based on the political position that they must follow the legitimacy of the Three Han, which comes from the benevolent Gija [legendary sage], not barbarians, right?

But once the frame that if Dae Jo-yeong is a barbarian, then Yi Seong-gye is also a barbarian was applied, they had no choice but to become mute.

I looked at the officials and said.

“When I went to Guju [a northern region] myself, every Jurchen chieftain I met called themselves former subjects of Goryeo.

This Goryeo refers to Balhae, so how can we not call it our history?”

There was no evidence, but I claimed that I had heard it.

I’ve been there myself, so what are they going to do about it?

“However, in the historical records…”

“Even if it’s not in the old historical records, I heard that the dispatched monks are recording the history passed down to them. If you want to refute it, why don’t you go and see for yourselves?”

The hall became as quiet as a mouse.

Who would want to go to that cold north?

‘I wouldn’t have gone either if it weren’t for Yi Seong-gye.’

Anyway, thanks to having been there, I was able to confidently refute these people, so it was a great relief.

“Now that the Jurchens have asked for enlightenment and become subjects of Joseon, I will not forgive those who despise them as barbarians and keep causing internal divisions!”

I said.

Everyone who didn’t want to be sent to the north became quiet.

‘They might rather ask to be sent to a gulag.’

Hwang Hee stepped forward and asked.

“Then does Your Highness think that the *Dongguk Saryak* should also be revised?”

As expected, he reads my mind well because he went with me.

When I nodded, Kwon Geun, who was in charge of compiling the *Dongguk Saryak*, jumped up and said.

“Your Highness, this is impossible. The *Dongguk Saryak* is the most outstanding book among the existing historical books.”

I admired his tremendous confidence and asked.

“Why is that?”

“The most famous of our existing historical books is the *Samguk Sagi* [History of the Three Kingdoms], but Kim Bu-sik [scholar and official] was not sincere in serving the great powers.”

‘Huh?’

I feel like I’ve heard a hundred times in modern times that Kim Bu-sik was a pro-Chinaist who belittled Goguryeo and Baekje [another of the Three Kingdoms of Korea].

Mostly from teachers wearing modernized hanboks [traditional Korean clothing].

“When Kim Bu-sik wrote the *Samguk Sagi*, he did not delete or include vain and strange stories, recorded titles that did not fit the status of a vassal state, and did not change crude names such as Geoseogan, Chachaung, and Isageum to kings.

On the other hand, I have corrected all these evils in the *Dongguk Saryak*, so how can I not say that it is better than the *Samguk Sagi*?”

I listened to Kwon Geun’s story and rubbed my head.

‘Yes, people of this era might think that way.’

But from my perspective, who flew in from modern times, it was absurd.

Kim Bu-sik must have been a truly principled historian.

I waved my hand and said.

“I don’t think the *Dongguk Saryak* properly reflects our country’s history. It should be revised, so gather the officials of the Office for Annals Compilation.”

===

Ha Ryun watched the Crown Prince’s actions with interest.

Throwing the new bait of revising the *Dongguk Saryak* was interesting, but he didn’t think it would lead to anything.

There was a saying that the affairs of the Goryeo kingdom could not last for three days, but isn’t the current situation even more special?

‘Won’t everything be in vain when His Majesty returns?’

If that happens, damage to the Crown Prince’s authority would be unavoidable.

‘Moreover, it would be perfect for establishing His Majesty’s authority.’

It would clearly show that the current King’s authority overwhelmingly surpasses the Crown Prince’s authority.

If he knew the King, he would not miss this opportunity.

‘Even if he is a cherished son, his seizing power is a distant future.’

Yi Bang-won could pull the reins and control the Crown Prince’s power as much as he wanted.

How will that iron-blooded King react?

===

“Do as you please.”

Yi Bang-won said, resting his chin on his hand.

“Yes? Is it really okay to do that?”

I blinked.

I received an order to take care of state affairs on his behalf, but he’s telling me to handle it so coolly.

Is he a different person from the Yi Bang-won I know?

Just before.

As soon as I stepped down from the royal office, I looked for Yi Bang-won.

Yi Bang-won was lying down with his head on a court lady’s lap, eating fruit.

“······.”

What is he doing?

When I came in, the court lady quickly ran out, and only Yi Bang-won was lying down, pulling the blanket over his face.

‘He’s doing a good job in front of his children.’

I pulled off the blanket and said.

“I heard you were in pain, so why are you doing this?”

“I’m doing this because I’m having a hard time.”

Yi Bang-won said shamelessly.

It’s not like his uncle has been lying in bed for a day or two, so he can’t keep being immersed in sorrow.

But if that’s the case, why is he passing the work on to me and lying down?

I stared at Yi Bang-won with a questioning look.

“It’s nice to rest for a few days.”

Yi Bang-won confessed honestly.

“So, why did you come?”

“I was going to report on the matters I handled today.”

I told him the story of Wang Mi continuing the Wang clan’s ancestral rites and ordering the revision of the *Dongguk Saryak*.

Yi Bang-won, who was just nodding and listening, frowned slightly for a moment.

‘Ugh.’

I wondered if I had made a mistake when I saw that, but soon Yi Bang-won rested his chin on his hand and said.

“Do as you please.”

“Are you really going to do that?”

At my answer, Yi Bang-won relaxed his hardened expression and smiled.

“Holding a memorial service for Balhae, is that such an important issue?”

When Yi Bang-won asked, I nodded.

At least we should have a common historical understanding with the residents living in the newly acquired land.

We were in a situation where we had to create and teach a unified history textbook to the Jurchen kids we brought in.

“Yes. The current *Dongguk Saryak* is too narrow in scope. At the very least, it should be revised to include Balhae history.”

This wasn’t just a historical issue, it was a political issue.

“There will be quite a backlash from scholars who value legitimacy.”

“Tell them to take care of the tedious historical debates themselves.”

In the end, what the court recognizes is legitimacy.

Thanks to me equating the images of Dae Jo-yeong and Yi Seong-gye, it has become difficult to belittle them within the court.

“Is that so······.”

Yi Bang-won answered with a dissatisfied tone.

“Are you perhaps angry that I pushed for the revision of the *Dongguk Saryak*?”

The *Dongguk Saryak* was a historical book compiled by Yi Bang-won’s order, so it was possible.

As I watched Yi Bang-won’s expression, I asked, slightly shrinking back.

“Then what do you like?”

“Not just looking at my face and lying low, but pushing your will.”

“Huh.”

At my reaction, Yi Bang-won replied nonchalantly.

“If you had just been looking at my mouth, it wouldn’t have been bad, but would you be able to properly play the role of king later?”

I pouted.

“What beat should I dance to?”

“You have to figure that out yourself.”

I’ve heard that a lot at work.

Yi Bang-won said with a smile.

“You were handling things coolly today, would you like to do it for a few more days?”

“If I really say I will, will you entrust it to me?”

Then Yi Bang-won hardened his face and said.

“Ahem, I thought you would refuse, but are you already coveting my position?”

He’s really going to die.

End

ⓒ Pitkong