There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 160

– Whoosh! Whoosh!

As people stepped on the treadle, the round cylinder spun, and yellowish rice grains began to pour out.

“It’s coming out, it’s coming out!”

People shouted as they watched the foot-powered thresher I had made spit out rice grains.

However, there was no time to admire it.

On one side, they diligently moved the rice sheaves, and on the other side, they hurriedly cleared away the threshed straw.

Since the season had already entered harvest time, I quickly began to manufacture and distribute threshers.

The first place they were deployed was my private land in Yeouido.

‘Even so, it would be impossible to supply one to each household right away, right?’

It seemed like I would have to have the local leaders place them in each village and have them used communally.

The Jurchen and Japanese children who came to watch were also curiously looking at this spectacle.

“Me too, me too, I want to step on it!”

“Me too!”

The Joseon language that came out of their mouths was clumsy, but it seemed that they had reached a level where conversation was possible.

This was probably due to the special demographic composition.

Since one side used Jurchen and the other side used Japanese, the only language they could communicate in was Joseon.

Since they were still young children, the level of vocabulary they used was not very high, so it seemed easier to learn.

‘Maybe it’s because the teacher is teaching well.’

I was going to see Giljae while I was here, but he happened to be away.

I think he said he was going to Majeon-hyeon, where Sungui Hall is located.

The fact that the Wangs had returned to hold ancestral rites again may have been quite impressive to him.

I didn’t come all the way to Yeouido just to watch threshing.

After finishing the test threshing, I gathered all the talented individuals.

“Another ship sank at Anheungnyang.”

Since it was the season for transporting taxes again, my father was racking his brains over the news. I don’t even know how many times this has happened.

The terrain of Anheungnyang was so treacherous that I was wondering if we should dig a canal in Taean.

“It won’t be easy.”

However, the reaction of the talented individuals, who were experts in civil engineering, was negative.

Mareulgeon, who had become the representative of the talented individuals, scratched his head and said.

“There have been plans since the Goryeo Dynasty, but the terrain is so terrible.”

“The ground is all granite, so it’s difficult to dig a canal.”

I had developed heavy equipment such as the Geojunggi [a type of crane] and Nokro [a type of trebuchet, sometimes used for construction], but it didn’t seem to be of much help in digging a canal.

That’s why I sent Yi Cheon and Jang Yeong-sil via the West Sea to investigate…

‘Should I wait for Chun-sik… no, Yi Byeoljang [a military rank] and Yeong-sil to return?’

It had already been several months since they left.

Fortunately, thanks to Tsushima Island being subjugated to us, news of them was being delivered relatively quickly.

The reports they sent were also reaching Hanyang [old name for Seoul] soon via Dongnae.

===

Yi Cheon and Jang Yeong-sil, who were in charge of the investigation, strongly insisted on buying the silver mine, and Jo Heup (曹恰), the royal inspector sent by the court, also accepted their claims and promoted the deal with Ouchi.

“Yi Cheon and Jang Yeong-sil say that there is a lot of silver buried, so it is profitable to buy it no matter how much the Daenei clan asks for.”

I was quite excited, but Yi Bang-won still seemed uneasy.

“What are their demands?”

When Yi Bang-won asked, I replied.

“They asked for about 1,000 결 [unit of land measurement] of land.”

“…That’s quite a bit, isn’t it?”

Yi Bang-won, who was embarrassed, scratched his cheek and said.

“Hey, a silver mine is rolling in, so let’s be generous.”

I persuaded Yi Bang-won, who had suddenly become stingy.

I’m a little sad too, but even if the silver mine is only twice the size of Dancheon, it’s still a profitable business.

“Silver mines are no longer useful once they are mined, but land remains for a long time. If we are not careful, we may end up paying tribute to them for hundreds of years.”

“We’ll deduct all the taxes before giving it to them, though.”

Only the landlord changes to the Ouchi clan.

Then Yi Bang-won sighed and said.

“It’s also a problem where to give the land.”

If you trace the roots of Baekje [ancient kingdom], it was right here in Hanyang, but of course, we couldn’t give land to the Japanese near the capital.

“Jeonju is not suitable either.”

In this era, there was a strong tendency to think of Jeonju as the root of Baekje.

I don’t know why they suddenly see Jeonju as the root of Baekje, but I can only guess that it was influenced by Gyeon Hwon, who founded Later Baekje and made Jeonju his capital.

It’s been 700 years since Baekje fell, so it’s not surprising that there’s confusion.

However, Jeonju is also the clan seat of our royal family, so it is difficult to give land recklessly.

“Gongju is the old Ungjin, and Buyeo is the old Sabi, so how about looking into the Chungcheong Province instead?”

Rather, that would be more historically accurate.

“And they asked for about 300 cavalrymen to be dispatched.”

“300 men, huh.”

What Ouchi requested was not instructors but mercenaries.

It seemed that they were trying to get a big concession from us since they were selling the silver mine anyway.

Well, even if we procure warhorses, we won’t be able to use them as immediate combat power.

The Ouchi clan, who are pushing hard against Daenei, must be frustrated.

‘Now that we’ve made a deal, we can grant this request coolly.’

The most important thing is the selection of personnel.

We have no choice but to seek advice from the person who knows the Jurchens best in this country.

===

After Yi Bang-ui’s death, Yi Seong-gye could not easily shake off his depression.

He had lost a lot of energy.

‘In times like these, we have no choice but to use a beauty trap.’

I took the hand of a little girl and went to find Yi Seong-gye.

Yi Seong-gye’s face lit up when he saw the child’s face.

“Myeochi!”

‘This little girl is my aunt.’

Her name was Yi Myeochi (李㫆致).

Yi Seong-gye loved his youngest daughter, whom he had late in life, so much that he bought and gave her the house of an old statesman from the time she was born, and even wrote down detailed plans in case problems arose after his death.

Yi Seong-gye hugged his giggling aunt and started to coo at her.

“When I look for you, you’re sullen, but you like my aunt?”

“You have to act cute to be cute, you rascal. What’s cute about a shady and dark guy like you?”

“Tch.”

Yi Seong-gye, who was playing with his aunt, looked for me after a while.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Does a grandson need a reason to look for his grandfather? I came to show my filial piety.”

“Ha, how many years have I spent with you that I would believe such a thing? You might as well say my father is Yi In-im.”

I’m such a filial grandson, I’m so wronged.

I had no choice but to get straight to the point.

“I’m trying to send Jurchens to Japan, is there anyone suitable?”

If it’s a Jurchen cavalry unit, it would be good to be able to cut ties if necessary, saying that we are not related.

They shouldn’t get bribed by Ouchi and settle down there, so they had to have some kind of base in Manchuria.

Like Iribuka.

“Would it be right to ask Uncle Iribuka after all?”

Yi Seong-gye shook his head.

“It wouldn’t be bad, but that guy is too rigid. And if Iribuka is missing from the northeast now, there will be no one to control the Jurchens on Joseon’s side.”

“Then who should we send?”

When I asked Yi Seong-gye, he thought for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“Meonteomu.”

Yi Seong-gye said.

“Wouldn’t this guy be okay?”

===

‘Meonteomu is very smart, and his name is known even in Ming China, and the emperor has tried to appease him. We can’t leave him alone.’

In particular, Yi Seong-gye was wary of him because he had not clearly shown his loyalty to Joseon like Iribuka, but had acted ambiguously.

‘What if Meonteomu settles down in Japan altogether?’

‘It wouldn’t be bad. Anyway, they’ll only take the strong men that the Japanese asked for, so we can divide all the remaining households and attach them to tribes close to our Joseon, like Iribuka.

What threat would Meonteomu, who entered Japan, which is not his land, pose to us?’

I was impressed by Yi Seong-gye’s words.

You’re really a villain.

However, since Yi Seong-gye knew the Jurchens much better than I did, it was hard not to find his words plausible.

‘But would Meonteomu go willingly if we told him to?’

‘So you have to make good use of the cards you have now.’

After hearing Yi Seong-gye’s words, I summoned Beomchal (凡察), who was serving as a government official in Hanyang.

He was Meonteomu’s half-brother and was called Panchara in Jurchen.

I had No-bun serve him a cup of tea and asked.

“How is your tribe’s livelihood these days?”

“My brother says that the livelihood has improved a lot with the help of the country, but I heard that it is still poor.”

“Huh, I heard that Dong Man-ho is expanding his power in that land, what are you talking about?”

I threw out a meaningful remark.

Like that, Meonteomu was busy expanding his power.

Employing monks and increasing yields according to the new farming methods I supplied were things that most other tribes were doing.

However, Meonteomu was much more active in absorbing other Jurchen tribes.

Mainly tribes that had immigrated from Dongpalcham and lacked a base were the targets.

In particular, Meonteomu himself claimed to be a meritorious subject who had participated in the founding of Joseon with the Tae Sang Wang [King Taejo’s title after abdication] from the old days, and I heard that this played a big role.

In other words, he was selling our name to show off his power.

“I heard that Dong Man-ho is sending a lot of tributes to Ahachwui to win his favor, isn’t it all just a pretense that he’s poor?”

I asked with a smile, and Pancha’s face turned blue.

Ahachwui’s daughter was a concubine of the Yongle Emperor, and he was now completely subjugated to Ming China.

Considering that, he also sent people to participate in this Nadam [festival/gathering].

‘Still, Meonteomu’s connection with Ahachwui is definitely treason from our point of view. If necessary, it will look like a signal to attach himself to Ming China through Ahachwui.’

Who would feel the most threatened in this situation?

Joseon?

No.

“Your, Your Highness! I don’t know anything about it!”

Pancha hurriedly bowed his head and said.

The reason he was in Hanyang was nominally to serve as a government official, but his role was largely as a hostage.

But if Meonteomu was plotting betrayal, the person who would be properly screwed was Pancha.

“Are you going to deny that you paid tribute to Ahachwui even though the evidence is clear?”

Pancha’s face stiffened as the blade came to his throat, but I ignored it.

“…How can I prove my innocence?”

Pancha asked, trying to grab at straws.

In fact, in this situation, there was no choice but to die quietly.

If you just leave the hostage alone because he is innocent, is that a hostage? He’s just a guest.

But I opened a way out for Pancha.

“However, since it has not been long since we obtained the northeast, how can we recklessly shed blood and lose the public’s hearts? Our court may not make an issue of this and generously overlook it.”

“Is that true?”

Pancha quickly asked.

“It would be nice if Dong Man-ho would go over and do some work.”

“Would my brother go himself?”

“Although you are here in Hanyang, you still have influence in the tribe, don’t you? Move them and try to do something.”

I said that.

Even if Meonteomu was the chief, he couldn’t be in a position like a king within his own tribe.

If public opinion was formed within the tribe, Meonteomu would have no choice but to follow it.

Moreover, Pancha, who even got a government position from us, could provide a basis for judgment with his words.

‘Create public opinion that Meonteomu must go himself for the sake of the tribe.’

Since the Jurchens had tasted the money thanks to Yeojin-gu’s activities, it might be even easier.

I urged Pancha, who was hesitating.

“Your brother colluded with Ahachwui without your knowledge, but why are you trying to maintain your loyalty to your brother until the end?”

Pancha, a Jurchen, wouldn’t be a Confucian boy.

“…”

Pancha was also a man with hidden ambitions.

He couldn’t stay hidden in his half-brother’s shadow forever.

Especially since he almost died because of that human.

Then Pancha nodded as if he had made a decision.

“What the Crown Prince says is true. My brother has gone down the wrong path, so I must correct him.”

Pancha said as if he had made up his mind.

I looked at him with pitiful eyes and thought.

Sorry.

In fact, it’s a lie that Meonteomu betrayed us.

‘He must have exchanged gifts with Ahachwui a few times.’

But it was too much to accuse him of treason with that.

When I suddenly scolded him, Pancha thought that his brother had plotted something and was caught.

‘Still, isn’t it okay since both of them are satisfied?’

End