There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 170

I cleared my throat and addressed Hyo-bin first, saying,

“I will ensure my half-sibling is well cared for.”

I’ve never discriminated against my half-sibling, but saying this eases my conscience a little.

“And regarding the elevation of Consort Won to the rank of Seongbi [a high-ranking concubine], I will consider the matter and discuss it with the Queen.”

A hint of disappointment flickered across both of their faces.

However, I deliberately hardened my expression.

Frankly, I felt more secure with my mother managing the inner court than entrusting it to someone else.

‘Even if the sky falls, Mom would never betray me.’

There’s the undeniable bond between mother and son, but more than that, if she doesn’t support her own legitimate eldest son, who would she support?

It doesn’t make sense, even from a purely strategic perspective.

A significant portion of Queen Wongyeong’s power stems from being the mother of the legitimate heir, the Crown Prince.

But Consort Won and Consort Hyo have interests that don’t necessarily align with mine.

‘Who knows if they might suddenly become ambitious and push for my half-sibling to become the Crown Prince?’

I doubt it would happen, but you can never truly know what others are thinking.

Especially if Consort Won and Consort Hyo were to join forces, they could potentially influence both the Retired King and the current King.

‘Lee Bang-won is a pragmatic person, so he’d likely dismiss it as worthless scheming, but…’

The others aren’t necessarily as rational.

===

“I misjudged my daughter-in-law. Tsk… I should have simply refused the marriage outright when they first proposed it.”

Lee Seong-gye grumbled.

“You used to praise your daughter-in-law excessively, though?”

“That was then.”

He must have been overjoyed when the family from the rustic military background of the northeast managed to marry into the Min clan, one of the most prestigious families in the country.

He received a rude awakening afterward, though.

“How can a daughter-in-law interfere and cause trouble when even the son has given his permission?”

“Isn’t a daughter-in-law also considered family?”

“Are you siding with your mother, appealing to blood ties?”

“I’m not exactly siding with her, but I’m not particularly pleased about the situation either.”

There’s no reason for me to be happy about others gaining influence in the inner court when I have my powerful supporter, my mother.

‘Even if those two don’t harbor any ulterior motives, it’s only a matter of time before factions begin to form.’

There are always those with their own agendas.

“Anyway, Great-Grandfather’s affection for Consort Won is quite strong.”

I pouted as I spoke.

I thought he came all the way to Gaeseong to see his grandson, but wasn’t he actually there to advocate for his woman?

“So, you think I might be swayed?”

“You have a history, don’t you?”

What can I say to someone who was so infatuated with a woman that he suddenly made his youngest son the Crown Prince, only to see his plans utterly collapse?

Lee Seong-gye turned his head slightly and said,

“I was immature back then…”

‘And that was only a few years ago.’

How can I trust the old man’s judgment?

“I’ve given you so much, can’t you grant me this one request?”

“You’ve… given me something…?”

I widened my eyes as if hearing it for the first time.

I’ve brought him fried chicken and beer, but what has Lee Seong-gye given me?

The only things that come to mind are connecting me with the royal family member Sunnyeong-gun, the merchant Baek Dal-won, the Buddhist leader Muhak Daesa, and the local magnates and Jurchens [nomadic people of Manchuria] of the Northeast.

‘Come to think of it, that’s quite a bit.’

But it’s not like Lee Seong-gye unilaterally did those things just for me.

‘Shouldn’t those people be grateful to me instead?’

They would have been completely cut off from the central government and relegated to the periphery once the Retired King died.

Looking at it that way, I was simply incorporating them into my future power base.

So, it’s only natural that they support their lord.

However, Lee Seong-gye’s support has been undeniably helpful to me.

The backing of those I just listed is an irreplaceable strength.

‘I can’t simply refuse outright, can I?’

The old man is thinking fondly of his concubine, so should I give him a hand?

“So, all I need to do is grant permission to bestow the title of Seongbi, right?”

I asked Lee Seong-gye slyly.

If there are conditions attached, such as guaranteeing Consort Won’s influence in the inner court, it’s a condition that neither my mother nor I can accept.

“Yes. Just think of it as giving your grandmother a prestigious title.”

“……”

Her beauty was remarkable for a grandmother, but I quickly dismissed the irrelevant thought.

===

I headed to the Queen’s residence with special requests from Lee Seong-gye and Lee Bang-won, but Queen Wongyeong glared and shouted.

“If you’re planning to persuade me, you’re mistaken!”

“Please calm down. The youngest one will be startled.”

I hadn’t even started talking yet.

The youngest sibling, who was just a baby, seemed to have already started walking, as he toddled over and then sat down in surprise.

‘Kids grow up so fast.’

The youngest brother’s name was Jong.

He has a childhood name he’s called now, but I think they said they’ll officially name him later.

Anyway, I calmly soothed Queen Wongyeong.

“You can’t directly confront Great-Grandfather or Father. That will only make them resentful.”

Even if someone is wrong, they want their spouse to support their decisions.

But Queen Wongyeong is the type who immediately points out the other person’s flaws and wants to correct them according to her own will.

So, just like a ball bounces back when you slam it hard on the floor, the emotional rift only deepens.

‘In this respect, those two are masters of manipulation.’

They create the desire to give them more by adopting a stance that seems to understand the man.

It’s like the principle of the North Wind and the Sun [a fable illustrating the power of persuasion over force].

However, Queen Wongyeong, with her pride as the foremost headstrong young lady in Joseon [historical Korean kingdom], could never forgive anyone who went against her will.

“So, are you suggesting I should serve the Won clan as my mother-in-law! How can I face the late Queen Sineui [Lee Seong-gye’s first wife] later!”

Queen Wongyeong shouted.

“I’ll have my uncles intervene to stop it!”

‘Ugh… that’s!’

That’s really the worst possible move.

If her uncles, who are both meritorious subjects and in-laws, get involved in this, it will only arouse Lee Bang-won’s suspicion.

She can’t melt a man’s heart like Hyo-bin, so she’s resorting to an ultra-hardline approach.

“The affairs of the inner court should be handled within the inner court. If the uncles get involved, this becomes a political issue.”

I said that.

If she tells her uncles, they’ll immediately roll up their sleeves and help their sister, which will split the court in two.

“Do you remember the Lee Geo-yi family who were exiled a few years ago?”

“How could I not? They were traitors who plotted treason.”

They were our in-law family, so Queen Wongyeong couldn’t be unaware of them.

They were the ones who, in an instant, went from meritorious subjects who could command influence to major criminals exiled to a remote village, accused of plotting to kill all our young siblings and enthrone the Retired King.

“Do you really believe that Lee Geo-yi plotted treason?”

I asked Queen Wongyeong.

It was an incident where I strongly suspected that Lee Bang-won was pulling strings behind the scenes to purge meritorious subjects and members of the royal family.

If you can fabricate one act of treason, why can’t you fabricate two?

“If we’re not careful, our family could end up like that.”

At that, Queen Wongyeong seemed to snap out of her anger.

“No, still, they’re your uncles. And the King’s brothers-in-law and meritorious subjects…”

“Is Father the type to care about such things?”

He cherishes his family dearly, but his definition of family is slightly narrower than most people’s.

“Surely not that far…”

“Those are the words Father said to me directly. He said that if in-laws cross the line, they must be dealt with decisively.”

Actually, I didn’t hear it from Lee Bang-won, but saw it in the future.

So, I could speak with even more conviction.

Queen Wongyeong looked very shocked after hearing my words.

“Then what should I do? Are you saying I should sit still and watch Won become my mother-in-law?”

Seeing her, who was on the verge of tears from feeling betrayed, I raised one finger.

“Firstly, just because Consort Won is bestowed the title of Seongbi doesn’t mean she becomes the Grand Queen Dowager. Her status as a concubine is maintained.”

“I know that, but it’s uncertain whether she’ll remain a concubine even as time passes.”

Queen Wongyeong pointed out quite sharply.

As she said, there are already discussions about whether she should be treated as a mother by Lee Bang-won.

If she’s called Seongbi and acts as Lee Seong-gye’s consort, she might naturally receive the treatment of a Grand Queen Dowager without any special decree after some time.

But I quickly raised another finger.

“Secondly, Seongbi cannot dare to act as the elder of the inner court. Isn’t there already someone in that role?”

Then Queen Wongyeong raised her head sharply and asked.

“Then?”

I smiled and said.

“Didn’t I just say? The affairs of the inner court should be handled within the inner court.”

===

“Elevate Consort Won to Seongbi. It would be good to raise Consort Hyo’s rank as well this time. I will issue a decree through the inner court.”

“Re, really?”

“Is that true, my dear!”

At Queen Wongyeong’s words, the two kings jumped up and exclaimed.

The issue of bestowing the title of Seongbi was one thing, but she was also going to raise Hyo-bin’s rank.

At Lee Bang-won’s question, Queen Wongyeong nodded.

“Both of them have served the King for a long time, so what reason is there to refuse?”

“As expected, you’re the only one for me, Queen!”

Lee Bang-won hugged Queen Wongyeong.

However, Queen Wongyeong smiled coldly while being embraced.

“But would it be acceptable if only I agree?”

“Then is there someone else to consult?”

Lee Bang-won asked in surprise.

Isn’t it sufficient if she, the head of the inner court, approves it?

“Have you forgotten? There is another elder of the inner court.”

“Another elder?”

Who else is there?

Lee Bang-won and Lee Seong-gye asked in unison.

===

“I didn’t realize you were suffering so much taking care of the inner palace, sister-in-law.”

“I should have relied on the Queen Dowager sooner. Isn’t the real elder of the inner court Her Majesty the Queen Dowager?”

King Jeongjong’s wife, Lady Kim, took Queen Wongyeong’s hand.

“I only know how to serve the Retired King, and you’ve been handling everything else. Please continue to manage the affairs of the inner court well, just like you’ve been doing.”

After the warm greetings between the sisters-in-law, Lady Kim declared.

“But I, as the elder of the inner court, cannot condone concubines trying to act as consorts!”

Then she turned to Lee Seong-gye and Lee Bang-won.

“The late Queen Sineui also regarded me as the eldest daughter-in-law of this family and entrusted me with the family’s major and minor affairs. So why haven’t the two of you said a word to me?”

As the Queen Dowager spoke in a soft but firm voice, Lee Bang-won waved his hand in embarrassment.

“Si, sister-in-law… it’s a misunderstanding. I just didn’t seem to think you had much interest in the affairs of the inner palace…”

Wasn’t she the eldest sister-in-law who had served his mother, Queen Sineui, in the Northeast for many years and practically raised his younger brothers with her?

So, Lee Bang-won inadvertently used the old title of sister-in-law.

“Until now, I’ve quietly entrusted everything to my sister-in-law and stepped back, but since the two of you are abandoning loyalty to your legal wives and trying to elevate concubines, I have no choice but to step forward.”

“Eldest, there are circumstances…”

Lee Seong-gye hurriedly stepped in, but Lady Kim spoke faster.

“After decades of taking on all the family’s responsibilities, what circumstances are there for me to become the daughter-in-law of a concubine who just arrived?”

“……”

What she said was true, so Lee Seong-gye had nothing to say even if he had ten mouths.

Lee Bang-won couldn’t argue with his eldest sister-in-law, so he was hesitating when Queen Wongyeong sighed.

“I want to follow Your Majesty’s will, but since the Queen Dowager, the elder of the family, must establish the family’s laws, there’s nothing I can do.”

Queen Wongyeong looked at Lee Bang-won and slightly raised the corners of her lips.

“How about issuing a decree to appoint Won as Seongbi, but immediately summoning her to the Queen Dowager to pay her respects? Wouldn’t that clearly establish the hierarchy?”

Of course, she would be there with the Queen Dowager.

Shouldn’t they receive the greetings together?

Lee Bang-won looked up at the ceiling for a moment after seeing Queen Wongyeong’s sly smile.

‘Did this really come from my wife’s mind?’

There’s no way.

End