There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 172

“What about Kim Jong-seo, the Jikjang [a minor official position] who distinguished himself at Palcham this time?”

I asked, looking at Lee Bang-won.

Kim Jong-seo had been promoted to Jikjang of Jong 7 grade after returning from Palcham.

It was an achievement he had made not long after being appointed as a low-ranking scholar in the Sangwangjeon, so as a young professional, he had taken his first step well.

I decided to give him a little more push.

‘He’s the one who pioneered the 4 counties and 6 garrisons, so I have to support him well.’

A government official going to Hoeryeong should be around rank 5 to maintain his dignity and easily control the Jurchens.

So, if Kim Jong-seo goes there, I would have no choice but to promote him to match that rank.

‘Originally, it hasn’t been long since he was promoted, so there would be opposition for various reasons, but.’

“Your Highness the Crown Prince’s insight is truly bright!”

“Jikjang Kim Jong-seo has a firm heart and courage, so he will be perfect for commanding the Jurchens.”

The officials said unanimously.

The reason was obvious.

‘I can hear them, I can hear them….’

The voices of the officials who are rolling their eyes and agreeing so diligently.

‘What if I step out and object, and they try to send me instead?’

‘Looking at the rank and experience, the sparks might fly to me.’

‘I don’t know who Kim is, but let’s hurry up and send anyone.’

However, the seasoned ministers who did not have to worry about being kicked out were in a slightly different position.

“Your Majesty, the affairs of the North are very important, so wouldn’t it be better to send someone with experience?”

“That is right. Moreover, Kim Jong-seo is a civil official, so it will not be easy to control the Jurchens if they have treacherous intentions.”

However, conversely, that point seemed to attract Lee Bang-won’s attention.

“A civil official, is it….”

Lee Bang-won stroked his beard and muttered.

As someone who did not trust generals who made their living with swords, that point seemed to appeal to him.

‘I wouldn’t trust anyone either.’

His own father had won the country with a sword.

“His ability is sufficient. Even the Grand King recognized it.”

Is it that a general recognizes a general?

“If your grandfather recognized him, then he must be trustworthy.”

Lee Bang-won nodded.

Since the selection had already been decided, his actions were swift. Soon, a royal decree was issued appointing Kim Jong-seo as a Byungma Pan官 [Military Affairs Adjudicator] of Jeong 5 grade and dispatching him to the Meonteomu tribe of Hoeryeong.

It was around that time that Kim Jong-seo came to see me.

===

It was only natural for Kim Jong-seo, who had been on a fast track for promotion thanks to my special consideration, to come and greet me.

Coincidentally, I was having a meeting with my old subordinates at Hwanghee’s house for the first time in a long time.

“Oh, Officer Kim!”

I asked, pretending to be surprised to see Kim Jong-seo.

“Everyone, say hello. This is Kim Jong-seo, a young man who is newly appointed as a Byungma Pan官 under the Bukgye Byungmasa [Northern District Military Headquarters].”

“Ah, this young man is the one!”

“I heard he made a great contribution the other day and got promoted. Now I finally get to see the young hero!”

Kim Jong-seo’s face turned red, as if he was not used to people’s praise.

He scratched his head, forgetting what he was about to say, and replied.

“Haha, it’s nothing….”

“If there are people like you in the North, there will be no worries.”

“The Byungmasa must be relieved.”

Meng Sa-seong and Heo Jo, who were standing next to him, chimed in, and Kim Jong-seo seemed to come to his senses.

“Ah, no, that’s not it… Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

“Keep your words of gratitude.”

I said, waving my hand before he could even open his mouth.

Kim Jong-seo had the honor of being promoted thanks to my active recommendation, but if he had no ability in the first place, I would not have recommended him.

Kim Jong-seo asked with a tearful face.

“Your Highness, do you have any grievances against me?”

“Grievances?”

I asked back with wide eyes, and Kim Jong-seo said.

“Otherwise, why would you send me, who hasn’t been long since returning from Dongpalcham, to the North?

If there is anything that made you angry, please tell me. I will be more careful in my behavior!”

“Huh.”

As Kim Jong-seo knelt down and said that, I lamented for a moment that my sincerity was not understood.

At that time, Hwanghee, the host, approached Kim Jong-seo and carefully broached the subject.

“Hey, among your peers who passed the civil service examination, how many people do you think will become prime ministers?”

“Well, it would be fortunate if there were one or two people.”

Kim Jong-seo replied with a dazed expression.

“But although you are a military officer in a remote area, you are already a Chamsanggwan [a high-ranking official] of Jeong 5 grade.

That is because of the important task of governing the Jurchens, so how can it not be said to be His Majesty’s favor?”

In the end, what is important in promotion is getting into the eyes of the personnel manager.

Hwanghee gave a passionate speech, saying that rising to the 5th rank from a mere Hanrim [member of the Royal Academy] was rather an opportunity.

“Would your colleagues, who are still insignificant, have such an opportunity for success?”

“No, I guess not?”

“Then, where is the guarantee that you will not become a future prime minister?”

Kim Jong-seo’s eyes widened.

Was it that the flames of ambition suddenly flared up?

I patted Kim Jong-seo on the shoulder and said.

“Hwang Bu-yoon [Hwanghee’s title] is right. It’s good to work hard on the task you’ve been given. Surely His Majesty won’t keep you in the North for 10 years?”

“Hmm, that’s right.”

Our family would use people for a lifetime if they had the ability, not just 10 years, but there’s no need to tell such a grim story.

‘It’s convenient that Hwanghee is giving me an assist.’

As expected, he is quick-witted.

Kim Jong-seo looked back and forth between me, the Crown Prince, and Hwanghee, and suddenly nodded.

“I understand. I will trust in Your Highness.”

“To govern the Jurchens, you must first win their hearts. Become familiar with their customs and emotions.”

I gave that advice to Kim Jong-seo, who was about to leave for the North.

“First, you must become familiar with their customs… I will keep Your Highness’s words in mind!”

Kim Jong-seo replied vigorously.

‘Hmm.’

He answers without looking back and forth, so I feel uneasy for some reason.

===

Among those who followed Kim Jong-seo was Lee Maeng-gyun, who was a Jipui [Censor] of the Office of the Inspector General.

Like Kim Jong-seo, he also hated going to the North to death, but there was no room for him to refuse.

“He was about to be exiled for delaying a lawsuit a while ago, but he compromised by being appointed as a Byungma Busa [Military Affairs Officer] of Bukgye instead.”

He chose the latter at the crossroads of exile or heading to the frontier.

“Tsk tsk, he is a pitiful person.”

Meng Sa-seong, his superior, clicked his tongue.

‘If I hadn’t saved Meng Sa-seong, he might have ended up in a similar situation.’

He had preserved his position thanks to my desperate rescue, so was it a kind of sympathy?

“He is the grandson of Teacher Mokeun [Lee Saek’s pen name], but how did he end up like that? I heard his wife is very evil, so he might welcome getting out of Hanyang.”

I wasn’t particularly interested in Lee Maeng-gyun’s marital woes, but another matter caught my attention.

“Is he the grandson of Lee Saek?”

Lee Saek was the last great Confucian scholar of Goryeo, who maintained his loyalty to the end and died on the way to Yeoju.

So, there were even rumors that the Joseon court, which had been displeased with him, poisoned him.

‘If you ask Lee Seong-gye, he will vehemently deny it.’

Anyway, the grandson of such a person is holding office in Joseon.

It wasn’t particularly strange.

Meng Sa-seong’s father, who retired to the countryside to maintain his loyalty but lobbied for his son, and Hwanghee here, are similar cases.

“I heard that you also gave up your official position to maintain your loyalty to Goryeo, but many scholars persuaded you to take office again.”

I heard the term Dumundong [a symbol of loyalty to the fallen Goryeo dynasty] in modern times, but the Dumundong story is said to be a complete lie.

But I thought it was true that he had lingering feelings for Goryeo, so I asked cautiously, and Hwanghee jumped up.

“Why would I have any lingering feelings for Goryeo? I don’t know about my mentor, Teacher Park Seok-myeong, but I have never done that.”

‘Hmm, is this something to deny so urgently?’

I tilted my head and thought at the reaction.

It was not particularly blameworthy to be loyal to the ruined Goryeo.

Rather, it is the object of secret admiration, even if it cannot be revealed.

After all, behind the scenes, his descendants and disciples all took office in Joseon.

So, even if it wasn’t true that he kept his loyalty to Goryeo, it would help his political reputation, and it wouldn’t be harmful.

But Hwanghee resolutely denied it.

‘Well, would the corrupt official Hwanghee have kept his loyalty to Goryeo?’

Meng Sa-seong is personally incorruptible, and he almost got destroyed after running into Kim Han-ro.

“You seem to be overly cautious.”

When I pointed out, Hwanghee replied.

“Isn’t the current situation very serious? It would be difficult if strange rumors spread.”

“The situation is serious?”

What are you talking about.

There has never been a time as peaceful as now.

Of course, there was a storm over the concubines until recently, but isn’t that a family matter?

However, Hwanghee hardened his face and said.

“You must not take the current political situation lightly.”

As Hwanghee, who is bright in politics, said this, I frowned and thought.

‘Is my father planning another purge?’

If another public security case like Lee Geo-yi’s treason breaks out again, a cold wind will blow in the court.

Kim Jong-seo is lucky to have avoided this suspicious political situation thanks to me.

“Isn’t that why you were called back to Hanyang, Your Highness?”

“Huh? Me?”

I asked, blankly pointing at myself with my finger.

Wasn’t it just that he wanted to see his son’s face after a long time and asked me to solve the concubine problem instead?

===

Hwanghee is mainly portrayed as a wise statesman or a generous old man in later generations, but in reality, he was a person who participated in seizing the initiative in the political situation by matching wits with the king during the reign of Taejong.

He simultaneously played the role of a strategist and an action captain.

Immediately, in the original history, he took the lead in removing in-laws such as Min Mu-gu and Min Mu-jil, and Lee Bang-won always called and consulted or gave orders to him to check other meritorious subjects.

‘This is because I am not from a prestigious family, nor am I one of the three meritorious subjects of the founding, Jeongsa, and Jwamyeong, nor is my academic background great.’

However, Hwanghee is valued not only for his ability but also for his humble power.

‘So, His Majesty must have put me next to Your Highness.’

Hwanghee concluded so himself.

The same is true in the original history.

Lee Bang-won praised Hwanghee as being like a family member and entrusted him with the guardianship of Grand Prince Yangnyeong.

Later, this measure ends with Grand Prince Yangnyeong being deposed as crown prince and Hwanghee being swept away and exiled, but that’s because Grand Prince Yangnyeong was a jerk.

Of course, this is also a measure taken by the king to not only appoint his trusted subject near the Crown Prince to support the Crown Prince, but also to ensure smooth supervision.

Anyway, here too, Hwanghee is still playing the role of a safety device connecting the Crown Prince and the King.

‘It seems that His Highness the Crown Prince doesn’t know it very well.’

Unlike the original history, this relationship was being maintained stably in its own way, even though Hwanghee did not know it.

In such a situation, Hwanghee was aware of Lee Bang-won’s subtle attitude that the Crown Prince had not noticed.

‘His Majesty wants to make full use of Your Highness’s abilities.’

The reason is, first of all, trust in the successor.

Also, the Crown Prince’s achievements, such as the construction of Hanyang, will help establish Lee Bang-won’s authority.

However, if this happens, the Crown Prince will naturally gain more power than necessary.

It is necessary to pull the reins again and start adjusting the power.

‘So, it is only natural that you were called back to Hanyang to refresh the atmosphere.’

As Hwanghee expected, the time was fast approaching.

Just a few days later, on August 18, 1406.