There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 169

Lee Bang-won was inquiring about solidifying control over the military.

As I stood with my arms crossed, Lee Bang-won subtly smiled and said,

“By the way, shouldn’t our son return to Hanyang [modern-day Seoul] now?”

“Already?”

“Why? Is there something left to do?”

‘There’s still a lot of work to be done.’

I was also running a campaign to encourage sailors to eat kimchi to prevent scurvy before they set sail.

‘After all, it’s not easy to get fresh vegetables at sea.’

However, since chili powder wasn’t yet a common ingredient in Korea at the time, all the kimchi loaded onto the ships was either white kimchi (baek-kimchi) or pickled radish (danmuji).

I wondered if it would suit the tastes of the Jurchens [a Tungistic people who were the ancestors of the Manchus] and Japanese.

Still, there was no truly urgent matter.

“Well, it’s almost all done now.”

At my words, Lee Bang-won clapped his knee and said,

“Then it would be good to return to Hanyang quickly.”

‘I’ve heard that somewhere before.’

Even the Retired King, who had recently come to Gaeseong [an ancient capital of Korea] and was lazing around, had been urging me more frequently.

‘When are you going back to Hanyang?’

‘Whenever I feel like it.’

‘Let’s go back to Hanyang. It’s hard to settle down in Gaeseong.’

‘Then why did you follow me all the way to Gaeseong?’

‘I’m bored without you.’

Ha, really, old man.

‘As if I’d like that if you did that.’

Anyway, because of Lee Seong-gye’s constant nagging, I had returned to Hanyang for a while, but…

“What’s the rush?”

I’ll come back on my own when the time is right.

‘What are you plotting?’

“Did someone cause another incident?”

At my question, Lee Bang-won answered with a serious face.

“Anyone would think I only call you when there’s a difficult problem to handle.”

“Then isn’t that the case? I guess I don’t need to come back then.”

“Wait, just a minute.”

Lee Bang-won grabbed my sleeve in what seemed like embarrassment.

“Do you know why the Retired King went to Gaeseong?”

“Didn’t he come to see me?”

I thought the old man liked his cute grandson so much that he did that.

However, Lee Bang-won shook his head.

“He was protesting. He said he wouldn’t return until his demands were met.”

“Huh.”

Then, without knowing it, I had taken in a runaway old man.

“So, is he trying to return now because…”

“Yes, he finally got permission.”

Lee Bang-won closed his eyes and said,

“He has decided to take a new concubine this time.”

That’s really something.

Of course, it wasn’t that Lee Seong-gye was literally taking a brand-new woman now.

It was just that Won-bin, who was already a concubine, was being promoted to the rank of Bi (妃) [a high-ranking concubine title, just below the Queen].

‘No, this might be an even more troublesome problem.’

Calling her Won-bin sounds like a celebrity’s name, but in fact, she was the daughter of Won Sang, who was the Vice Minister of the Central Affairs. She became the Retired King’s concubine and was given the title of Bin (嬪) [a concubine rank] of the first rank, so she was called Won-bin.

Lee Seong-gye was quite fond of her, and perhaps that’s why he always felt sorry that she was still at the rank of Bin, even though she was of the high first rank.

In the end, he came for his young new wife, not his grandson.

‘What a disgrace.’

I thought to myself.

“Because of Hyobin’s request, he said he would bestow the title of Seong-bi (誠妃) on Won-bin, and only then was he satisfied and said he would return.”

The relationship between father and son couldn’t be called good even as a formality, but Lee Bang-won was trying to please Lee Seong-gye in his own way.

No, perhaps Hyobin Kim, who was forming a common front with Won-bin, had a greater influence.

The men in our family are weak to women.

“Then you can just take the Retired King with you, right?”

“It’s not that simple.”

Lee Bang-won said.

After declaring that Won-bin would be promoted to Seong-bi, there was a brief debate in the court.

– Then, will Won-bin become Her Majesty’s mother?

Since it was a matter of raising Bin to Bi, there were conflicting opinions on how to define her position.

Won-bin was playing the role of mediating between Lee Seong-gye and Lee Bang-won, and Lee Bang-won also treated her with respect, so the officials were eager to please them…

‘Of course, there’s no way she can be treated like my biological grandmother, Queen Shinui.’

Even if Lee Bang-won was close to Won-bin, he didn’t consider her as his real mother.

“There are many officials who want to show excessive courtesy without knowing my intentions. They even asked to hold a ceremony to confer the title, with the Left State Councilor becoming the Acting Grand Commandant and the Right State Councilor becoming the Acting Grand Preceptor, following the example of honoring the Retired King.”

‘I don’t know the specifics, but it must mean that the State Councilors are taking the lead in holding a grand ceremony.’

I understood perfectly even though it was a terrible thing to say.

“Then, is Won-bin becoming my grandmother?”

“There’s no way that would happen. We’re just raising her title to Bi for the sake of the Retired King, and her position as a concubine will remain the same.”

‘Well, Shin Deok Queen is also Hyeon-bi (顯妃) after all.’

Even until the Goryeo Dynasty, concubines could receive the title of Bi, so Queen Shin Deok Kang, who was demoted to a concubine after the Prince’s Rebellion, also maintained the title of Hyeon-bi.

Since both Queen Shinui and Queen Shindeok are dead, Lee Bang-won could raise Won-bin to Lee Seong-gye’s legal queen, but he didn’t seem willing to go that far.

“Above all, your mother’s opposition is strong.”

Lee Bang-won said.

“Your mother has been the head of the Inner Court for a long time, and if Won-bin becomes the Retired King’s legal queen, wouldn’t she naturally have to be mindful of her mother-in-law?”

She has already taken control of the Inner Court for a long time, so she wouldn’t give up her position as the head, but she couldn’t help but be mindful of Won-bin, who was nominally her superior.

So, my mother was vehemently opposing the conferment of Seong-bi, emphasizing her loyalty to Queen Shinui.

“Even though I have no intention of raising Won-bin to Grand Queen Dowager, she is stubbornly refusing and opposing the conferment of Seong-bi.”

“So, you called me.”

I sighed.

As a mother, she must be feeling a great threat.

Won-bin was acting as a patron for Hyobin Kim, who was Queen Wongyeong’s nemesis.

“Isn’t there a way to persuade your mother? It would be wonderful if the two of you could get along.”

“If that were possible, I would have done it already.”

Lee Bang-won would prefer that both the Retired King’s concubine and his legal wife, who cooperate well with him, get along, but,

‘There’s no way that’s possible, right?’

I know Queen Wongyeong’s personality.

She’s not someone who would ever reconcile unless the other party completely surrenders and prostrates themselves.

“So, you called me.”

“You’re the only one who can appease your mother,” Lee Bang-won said.

‘No matter how I look at it, it seems like you’re passing off troublesome Inner Court matters to me…’

You’re dumping the traffic control you should be doing onto me because it’s a headache.

“Is causing trouble because of women a family trait?” I squinted at Lee Bang-won.

“I can understand Great-Grandfather being like that, but Father, too, succumbing to pillow talk.”

He answered with a nonchalant smile. “You’re also a member of our family, so you won’t be easy to deal with.”

“What are you talking about.”

I possess both the pure heart of a child and the cold intellect of a modern person.

I would never go along easily.

===

I knew almost nothing about the power struggles happening in the Inner Court [the women’s quarters of the palace].

‘For now, it’s a headache to even think about it.’

In the first place, the Queen Consort, who has given birth to three, no, four sons, has no reason to feel inferior to others.

Looking at herself, isn’t she from the prestigious Yeoheung Min clan?

Moreover, with my support, generous favors have been bestowed upon the court ladies and palace maids, and the opinions of the Sajok [aristocratic] women are being swayed through the women’s association.

The only variable was Seong-bi, Won.

Isn’t she the only person Queen Wongyeong can’t treat as a subordinate within the Inner Court?

Because of Lee Bang-won’s request, I decided to visit Won-bin first, but I had no reason to readily grant that request.

‘For my mother’s sake, I must never give in.’

She is receiving the last affection of the old Retired King, so I can’t let my guard down.

No matter what words she uses to entice me, I must side with my mother until the end.

With that resolve, I headed to the residence where Won-bin was staying, and suddenly, someone came running out barefoot.

“Crown Prince!”

“······.”

It was Won-bin who had rushed out with the court ladies to greet me.

Although she was nominally my grandmother, there wasn’t much age difference between her and Lee Bang-won, so her beauty was still intact.

To borrow an expression from a book I used to read often, you could call her a middle-aged beauty.

“Why has your face become so gaunt while you were in Gaeseong! This grandmother has prepared a feast, so come inside.”

“Wait a moment······.”

I swallowed hard.

‘I understand why Lee Seong-gye fell for her.’

To be so affectionate to someone she hasn’t even met much.

Before I could say anything coldly, I was swept away by Won’s pace.

Having heard that I was coming, the room was filled with a veritable feast.

Even No-bun, who was next to me, was wide-eyed.

“The kitchen maids must have had a hard time.”

At my words, Won-bin waved her hand. “Those children didn’t do it. This grandmother can’t even issue orders without going through the Queen and her court ladies.”

“Hahaha.”

I could only laugh at Won-bin, who subtly lowered her eyes and spoke with a resentful expression.

It’s a bit too much, but I can’t openly say that my mother is wrong.

“Then who made this food?”

When I asked, Seong-bi pointed to one side and said, “Hyobin helped a lot.”

As Hyobin Kim entered, I dropped the pancake I was holding.

‘It’s a trap by the strategist!’

To have the two of them come in together after hearing that I was coming.

I hardened my resolve inside and said, “Oh, it seems like this isn’t the place for me.”

I don’t know what their scheme is, but I won’t get caught up in it.

As I was about to get up from my seat, Hyobin Kim suddenly grabbed my hand.

“Your Highness.”

‘Why is this woman suddenly like this?’

I was flustered and tried to pull my hand away, but Seong-bi came over and grabbed my hand as well.

“Crown Prince, both this grandmother and Hyobin are concubines who rely on each other to live. Even if I am appointed as Bi [Royal Concubine of the Second Rank], how could I covet the position of Grand Queen Dowager?”

“······.”

“Your Highness.”

This time, Hyobin stepped forward. “Although I am incurring the Queen Consort’s displeasure, I cannot bear for that sin to extend to Won-bin. Please speak well to the Queen.”

“That’s not something I can say······.”

“I understand. Your Highness must also consider the Queen Consort’s feelings. Is that why you haven’t given affection to Bi (裶) [Hyobin Kim’s child]?”

“Ugh.”

As Hyobin Kim looked at me with tearful eyes, I felt a pang of conscience.

It was true that I hadn’t paid attention to Hyobin Kim’s child, Bi, my younger sibling.

I had brought them all into the East Palace with my other siblings, but that child was mainly being raised by a nanny.

I hurriedly made excuses. “Because I’ve been wandering outside, I haven’t been able to take care of that child, nor even my full siblings properly. I’m truly sorry.”

It wasn’t that I was discriminating against my half-siblings, but that I was genuinely too busy to pay attention to them.

That was partly true.

“I understand. Your Highness must not have been comfortable either. But this time······.”

Seeing Hyobin trembling slightly as she said that, I lamented inwardly.

‘This is a fight that Mom can’t win.’

I understand why Lee Bang-won fell for this woman.

She’s completely incompatible with the men in our family.

< A Flower in Both Hands (1) > End

ⓒ Pitkong