There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 178

“Ah, that guy……”

Yi Bang-won scratched his head and said.

“Min In-saeng, he’s one of the most notorious among the historians. Though, is there any historian who isn’t like that?”

Yi Bang-won seemed half resigned as well.

Having never been bothered by historians before, I was curious.

“What happened?”

“When I fell off my horse, I clearly ordered them not to record it, but he insisted on writing it down! Min In-saeng is a young official, so he must be even more full of vigor.”

Come to think of it, Min In-saeng is a young official.

He definitely looked like he was balding.

‘Is he suffering from severe premature aging?’

Considering his aged appearance and the lecherous gaze he gave me, my hands couldn’t stop trembling.

I never knew stalking could be so terrifying.

“Because I’m in charge of the regency, he even hides behind the folding screen to record my every move. Is there no way to stop this?”

“I also forbade historians from entering the council chamber, but he sneaks in. Just give up.”

Yi Bang-won advised that if I say anything about it, they’ll lecture me about history and whatnot.

“……”

At this rate, he’ll try to cover even my trips to the restroom.

“Isn’t this all because of the regency?”

If it weren’t for that, this stalker wouldn’t have latched onto me.

Then, Yi Bang-won slyly turned his head.

“Just bear with it a little longer.”

“How long is ‘a little longer’?”

I’ve already dealt with the Min brothers and handled the pending state affairs, even the minor ones, but Yi Bang-won didn’t seem to have any intention of returning to his position easily.

“Watch.”

Yi Bang-won replied curtly.

He seems to be constantly discussing state affairs with close aides like Ha Ryun and Jo Young-moo, so why doesn’t he just take back the regency?

Is he thinking of using this opportunity to handle things he’s uncomfortable discussing officially from behind the scenes?

Once the person in charge gets a taste of playing the mastermind, there’s no turning back.

Yi Bang-won changed his expression when he saw my dead eyes.

“Just hold on a little longer. Would this father make you a regent for life?”

“I’ll trust you.”

I replied.

Maybe I should just accept the abdication next time.

===

During the regency, the historians’ stalking continued.

It was the same even in gatherings where I called close aides.

“Who are you?”

“I am a historian.”

I asked, looking at Min In-saeng, who openly set up a spot on one side.

“……I know that, but why are you here?”

“To record what Your Highness says when meeting with close officials……”

I was trying to have a comfortable meeting with my subordinates, but a historian wants to record it.

Despite my strong reaction, Min In-saeng didn’t seem to want to back down.

“Your Highness, please leave it to me.”

Hwang Hee approached Min In-saeng with a smile on his face, on my behalf.

“I understand the historian’s upright heart, but today’s gathering is for Your Highness and us to have an open conversation. It doesn’t seem right for an outsider to join us.”

Hwang Hee said with his usual good-natured smile.

However, Min In-saeng replied with his back straight.

“You can just speak with me present.”

“Haha, this person is really……”

As Hwang Hee was making a troubled expression, Min In-saeng continued.

“Above all, the Mayor of Hanseong recently caused controversy by arbitrarily distributing land in Hanyang to his son-in-law. As a historian, I need to know what kind of discussions are taking place here.”

“……”

Hwang Hee froze with his smiling expression.

They say you can’t spit on a smiling face, but Min In-saeng openly threw a wrench in his gears.

‘It’s refreshing that Hwang Hee was embarrassed, but this guy is completely crazy.’

That’s what I thought.

I wonder if he’ll try to record other people’s private lives at this rate.

As I muttered like that, Min In-saeng’s eyes widened.

“No, how did you know? I have recently been discussing with my colleagues about establishing female historians (女史) [Yeosa, female scribes who recorded the daily activities of the royal women].”

“……”

“There is precedent in the Zhou禮 [Rites of Zhou, an ancient Chinese text], and if there are female historians, they can record all the king’s actions and words even within the palace gates, so wouldn’t that be great? If Your Highness is thinking the same, please make a firm decision during the regency……”

Min In-saeng spoke excitedly, but I distorted my face.

‘Crazy bastard.’

“If female historians record, even if they leave historical records, many palace ladies will not have to suffer shame. There is precedent, so why wouldn’t it be a good plan?”

The historians were using their brains to argue for the introduction of female historians, but there was one crucial problem.

‘Are they not considering my sensibilities as a man?’

They say a ruler is shameless, but there’s no way a socialized human being has no sense of shame.

However, Min In-saeng seemed to believe that he had come up with a truly amazing idea.

I, who was slowly getting steamed, spoke to No-boon, who was standing next to me.

“No-boon.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Seize that guy.”

No-boon quickly jumped out and grabbed Min In-saeng.

“No, this is an outrage!”

Min In-saeng, who had a weak body, was easily subdued by No-boon.

I approached Min In-saeng and took out the historical records from his chest.

“You’re trying to look at the historical records! That’s what a tyrant who tries to monitor the records of history would do…… Ugh!”

I cleanly ignored Min In-saeng’s struggles and unfolded the historical records.

‘As expected, he wrote it all in pencil for convenience.’

Considering the argument I had over introducing pencils instead of brushes, I felt somewhat proud.

I didn’t like that these people were misusing it, though.

I unfolded the historical records and began to read.

“Let’s see, at noon, the Crown Prince had lunch with the Grand Princes, the Crown Prince scolded the Grand Princes for lack of exercise……”

He wrote down all the trivial stories that had been exchanged so far.

Among these, the unnecessary records will be excluded and only some will be incorporated into the Veritable Records [official, factual records of the Joseon Dynasty], but

It’s a waste of paper.

Then, Min In-saeng muttered while looking down.

“That is the duty of a historian…… I cannot be negligent even for a moment.”

“What do you even think a historian is?”

It is commendable to wield the brush sternly under the cause of history, regardless of status……

‘I have a private life, too.’

“Don’t you think it’s a waste of paper and pencils to write this kind of thing?”

“How could that be? The king’s actions, even the smallest ones, must all be recorded and passed down to posterity. Your Highness has taken on the regency, so there are no exceptions.”

“If someone recorded you eating, pooping, and sleeping at home and passed it down to posterity, would you like it?”

Then, Min In-saeng blushed and said.

“So you wanted to see that…… However, I am a humble scholar, so my words and actions are not worth recording and passing on.”

Then, he started scribbling something on the paper with a pencil.

I quickly snatched it away and read it.

– On such and such day, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince showed interest in the historian Min In-saeng, but Min In-saeng prostrated himself and refused.

“That’s a distortion!”

I shouted while tearing the paper to shreds.

What is this old man writing?

Min In-saeng screamed as he watched the scene.

“Oh no! Your Highness is tearing up the historical records!”

“Get out of here right now!”

I am the second highest person in this country after the king.

In other words, no one except the three kings, including Yi Bang-won, can refuse this order.

However, Min In-saeng boldly answered.

“Your Highness, above the historian is only the sky!”

Min In-saeng raised his finger high to the sky.

It was as if he was shouting that his brush was a brush that could pierce the sky.

“Drag him out.”

As I rubbed my forehead, Min In-saeng was dragged out with his weak arms held.

“Your Highness, you must fear history!”

I’m afraid of stalkers, not history.

Where did the human rights of the Crown Prince of this country go?

After dragging him out, I could hear Min In-saeng muttering something and writing historical records outside.

“Next article…… His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ordered the eunuch to drag out the historian Min In-saeng. As a result, the channels of communication were blocked and the spirit of the righteous scholars was broken, which is truly regrettable……”

‘Is he really crazy?’

I was speechless for a moment at Min In-saeng’s madness.

===

Even if he is a historian, there are laws that must be followed.

At least, that’s what I thought.

“To dare to hide behind the Crown Prince’s folding screen, it must be that this person is plotting treason. Drag him to the Uigeumbu [Royal Investigation Bureau] and make him confess all those involved in the conspiracy!”

……So I briefly considered this, but I couldn’t actually do this.

‘First of all, the claim that he tried to kill me with that weak arm wouldn’t hold up.’

He’s the kind of person I could easily throw down, even though I’m not fully grown yet.

Above all, the burden of blocking the channels of communication was great.

– Punishing the historian is a tyrant!

It was obvious that this kind of fuss would unfold.

‘Even from a security standpoint, I wonder if this kind of crazy behavior is allowed.’

In fact, no one allowed it. It’s just that an uncontrollable historian like Min In-saeng pushed his way in.

However, if I were to punish him for this, the historians of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion [historical archive and office] would all unite and oppose it.

The pride that the Spring and Autumn Pavilion had in history was truly enormous.

“Aren’t these the guys who refused to provide materials when they fabricated the genealogy of the Ouchi clan last time?”

When the envoy of the Ouchi clan visited during the reign of the former king, the Spring and Autumn Pavilion rejected it because it was too old to trace the lineage.

Last time, I pushed through and gave them a genealogy fabricated as belonging to the Wiedeok royal family, but I remember the officials of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion looking at me with very sullen eyes at that time.

I passed it over without much thought at the time, but now that I think about it, it’s because they’re such stubborn people.

I wasn’t the only victim of these people.

“Min In-saeng and Hong Yeo-gang are the most vicious historians.”

Grand Prince Uian Yi Hwa rolled up his sleeves and said.

“When we meritorious subjects had a drinking party the other day, Hong Yeo-gang insisted on joining us, saying he would leave a record.”

“So what did you do?”

“General Sang Sim Gwi-ryeong beat him up and chased him away. But the Spring and Autumn Pavilion protested to the Office of the Inspector General about this, and the Office of the Inspector General impeached Sim Gwi-ryeong.”

Because the Spring and Autumn Pavilion is such a close-knit group, they massively retaliate when a member is harmed.

And in front of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion’s reputation, even a meritorious subject like Sim Gwi-ryeong was powerless.

“So you’re saying we should just leave them alone?”

Yi Hwa seemed frustrated by that.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve agreed with the meritorious subjects.’

In fact, there hasn’t been much to clash over since I stopped buying land and switched to investing in Cheonghaejin.

Yi Bang-won also seemed to be taking a breather for a while, so he didn’t throw any checks for the time being.

So my relationship with Yi Hwa is not bad at the moment.

“By the way, you’re starting to look like a king since you took on the regency these days.”

“It’s about time I got used to it.”

I wish I didn’t have to get used to it, and I want to pass it back to my father now.

There must be a reason for talking about this.

Yi Hwa rubbed his hands slightly and said.

“Your Highness, there’s talk that there will be a major cabinet reshuffle this time……”

“Did the Grand Prince also hear that rumor?”

There were rumors that Ha Ryun, Jo Young-moo, and other close aides were frequently visiting Yi Bang-won because of the cabinet reshuffle.

They said that he would carry out a cabinet reshuffle along with his return, completely replacing the State Council.

“Does Your Highness know anything about that list?”

“Well……”

I hadn’t heard anything separately.

Even if I knew, I couldn’t really use my power.

If Yi Bang-won had intended to do that, he would have called me along with Ha Ryun or Jo Young-moo in the first place.

“Doesn’t that mean that I should just do well as the Crown Prince and regent?”

That’s all I could answer.

End

ⓒ Pitkong