There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 206

The meritorious vassals, unaware of Yi Bang-won’s intentions, couldn’t hide the smiles on their faces.

“It’s all thanks to Your Highness.”

“Haha, I only advised His Majesty to implement the Daedong Act [a law standardizing tribute payments]; I didn’t do anything else.”

“Wasn’t it His Majesty who acted upon hearing Your Highness’s words? Please, don’t be so modest, Your Highness.”

Perhaps because they had accomplished a great task, the atmosphere of the gathering was exceptionally bright.

“Everyone, be careful. There are bound to be more than a few who come running, knowing we’ve struck it rich.”

“Hahaha! Even now, people are asking from all directions how to acquire those Cheonghaejin shares.”

“They say they’re willing to give up their fertile fields to buy them. Who would sell?”

The common perception among those gathered here was, ‘The country clearly dislikes landowners. What good is holding onto a few scraps of land?’

Yi Cheon-woo said with a hearty laugh.

“No, how can we sell a magic wand that brings in money every year? This was given to us to reward our service to the nation, so not just anyone can have it.”

Unlike public companies in modern Korea whose stock prices struggle, Cheonghaejin’s shares were truly top-notch.

Their pride was at its peak, but I threw cold water on it.

“Soon, we will open a market where anyone can trade Cheonghaejin’s shares. Anyone with money will be able to buy them.”

I picked up the wooden牌 [pae; a type of tag or marker] and spun it around.

“Ah, no, that….”

“Haven’t we already divided all the shares among ourselves?”

“We can just issue new ones.”

The people gathered were taken aback by my words, but I calmed them down.

“Of course, you will also be given the right to purchase new shares according to your current holdings.”

I appease their dissatisfaction by giving them priority subscription rights.

This is an era where the concept of a corporation is not yet fully understood.

However, Cheonghaejin, with its stable revenue structure and the implementation of the Daedong Act, is receiving enthusiastic attention from all regions.

If we conduct a public offering now….

‘Investors with money to burn will come running.’

There couldn’t be a better opportunity to establish a stock market.

And increase the capital significantly at the same time.

‘The amount of tribute transported by sea will surge within a few years, so we need to build additional ships.’

As the atmosphere became awkward, Yi Cheon-woo spoke up.

“Now, now, His Highness said he would compensate us appropriately. We can just use the money we’ve raised to do even better business.”

As Yi Cheon-woo poured the liquor, the gathered members of the royal family awkwardly laughed.

After all, thanks to me pushing the Daedong Act on Yi Bang-won, they were able to hit the jackpot this time.

“We will continue to trust only in Your Highness.”

“Of course, aren’t we family, hahaha!”

Although it was a family bond tied by money and interests, that’s what made it even stronger.

“But, is Grand Prince Uian not feeling well these days?”

To not even attend this joyous occasion.

Yi Cheon-woo nodded heavily and said.

“According to his cousins, he’s on his last legs. That’s why his children couldn’t come to this gathering either.”

“Ahem.”

Although we had clashed before, we had cooperated with the common goal of the Daedong Act.

I couldn’t help but feel sorry.

‘I should bring some red ginseng roots to his house later.’

But soon, there was no need to do so.

The news of Grand Prince Uian Yi Hwa’s passing was delivered.

===

“It seems his time had come.”

Yi Seong-gye said with a long sigh upon hearing the news of his death.

Yi Hwa had completed his final duty as Chief State Councilor with the implementation of the Daedong Act before falling ill.

When Yi Hwa submitted a memorial requesting his resignation due to his illness, Yi Bang-won pretended to reject it a few times before finally accepting it.

And after suffering for about half a year, he had passed away.

“Everyone is going to Bukmang Mountain [a traditional burial site] before me.”

Yi Seong-gye said with a bitter expression.

“Even though he was a brother who betrayed me in his later years, I don’t feel good about him leaving.”

If a dog of a high-ranking official dies, people go to offer condolences, but if the high-ranking official dies, there are no mourners.

But that’s only for high-ranking officials whose lineage has been cut off; the royal family is different.

Yi Hwa’s house was packed with mourners, with no room to step.

Even in the midst of that complexity, the chief mourners didn’t forget to prepare seats for the Retired King and the Crown Prince.

‘Or else they’d be in trouble.’

The atmosphere of the mourning house wasn’t too bad.

Yi Hwa was quite old and had served as Chief State Councilor, so he had achieved all the success he could as a subject.

Rice and soup were served, but Yi Seong-gye didn’t pick up his spoon.

‘Is he performing ancestral rites at a mourning house?’

I was about to eat first, but as a filial grandson, I urged Yi Seong-gye to eat.

“You haven’t even had your morning meal; please have at least one spoonful.”

“I’m fine. You eat a lot.”

“Come on, you’re old, and you’ll lose your strength if you don’t eat.”

“Judging by my lack of appetite, it seems I’ll be following soon.”

“……”

‘Even in your words, old man.’

As Yi Seong-gye was saying unnecessary things, I was pouting when someone quietly approached.

It was Yi Gyo, the Jeoncheon County Prince, one of the chief mourners.

“Your Highness, does it not suit your taste?”

“I don’t have much appetite, so I haven’t touched it.”

At Yi Seong-gye’s words, Yi Gyo urged again.

“The deceased father would also be saddened if Your Highness were to skip meals like this. These dishes were made directly by your nephew; please at least taste them.”

At the repeated requests, Yi Seong-gye reluctantly picked up his spoon.

“I see, I see. I’ll take just one spoonful for your sake.”

===

“Burp.”

I frowned at the burp I heard from the side.

“Oh, that was good.”

Yi Seong-gye, who had said he had no appetite and that his time was near, patted his stomach and said that.

‘No, if that’s how it was going to be, why were you being stubborn?’

I felt dumbfounded.

That meant that the Jeoncheon County Prince’s cooking skills were amazing.

‘It is delicious.’

“In the old days, a friend named Yi In-soo was in charge of my meals, and he’s comparable to that friend.”

Yi Seong-gye evaluated it to that extent.

I had heard that Grand Prince Uian’s son, the Jeoncheon County Prince, had a talent for cooking, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.

“Did the Jeoncheon County Prince also take charge of the ancestral rites?”

Come to think of it, the decoration of the ancestral table was also quite unconventional.

I couldn’t hide my surprise at seeing chicken placed as a dish.

Moreover, the donuts and various desserts that I had made were also placed on it.

It was a scene similar to the memes that circulated when I was in the modern era, saying it was an MZ-style [Millennial and Generation Z] ancestral table.

“Yes, that’s right. Shouldn’t we offer the foods that he enjoyed during his lifetime so that my father can be satisfied when he partakes? That’s why I arranged it this way.”

Yi Gyo nodded and said.

I wondered if there was anyone who would object to the etiquette, but….

‘This is early Joseon, right, right.’

It was a time when ancestral rites etiquette had not yet been properly established.

Even up until the previous generation, they had lived alongside the Jurchens in Dongbuk-myeon, so there probably weren’t many people who were particularly attached to it.

The reactions of the mourners were also full of praise.

“The fried chicken was very well fried!”

“The deceased Grand Prince Uian must be satisfied!”

Watching the people constantly praising the Jeoncheon County Prince, I thought.

‘Is the Jeoncheon County Prince’s style of ancestral rites going to become a tradition?’

Who knows, if this goes on for about 500 years, it might become a traditional and common table setting that no one can deny.

I glanced to the side and saw Yi Seong-gye tearing off a chicken drumstick.

“I’m glad you’ve regained your strength, even though you said you had no appetite.”

As I threw a barbed comment, Yi Seong-gye scratched his cheek and said.

“Ahem, I have so much to do. I can’t die yet.”

Indeed, people need to eat well.

Once something fills their stomach, they stop having negative thoughts.

“There are now only a few of those who lived through the same era as me left.”

Yi Seong-gye said, looking at Yi Hwa’s spirit tablet in the distance.

“It seems the time is approaching for me to settle my old ties.”

“Haven’t they all been liquidated already?”

Only Yi Seong-gye’s ties that were liquidated through the founding of Joseon, the Princes’ Rebellion, and Jo Sa’ui’s Rebellion would fill a truck.

Choi Young, or Jeong Mong-ju.

Or his older brother Yi Won-gye or his son Grand Prince Jinan.

‘Those people are all dead.’

Is there anyone left?

I was curious and asked, but Yi Seong-gye kept his mouth shut.

Then he turned to me and said.

“If you’re not busy, let’s go on an outing together.”

===

Well-ripened rice filled the fields.

Yi Seong-gye said at the rare bumper crop.

“The farmers must be full even if they don’t eat.”

“So am I.”

That’s all the taxes we’ll be collecting.

As soon as we decided to abolish the tribute system and collect the Daedong tax, all sorts of memorials poured into the court.

But they only received macro replies such as ‘We have received your inquiry.’

As planned, the Daedong Act was implemented nationwide.

“Then where will the court and the royal family get the things they need?”

“Where else? They’ll have to buy them with money.”

For this purpose, the Public Procurement Service was scheduled to be newly established.

As massive demand was expected, Hansang [a group of merchants] and Songsang [another group of merchants], etc., jumped into it with their eyes wide open, and those who had been committing tribute corruption were also keenly watching to get a piece of the action.

“Are you going to be in charge of that Public Procurement Service again?”

“Who else would do it but me?”

Since it’s a business where enormous interests are at stake, I can’t entrust it to anyone else.

I’d rather entrust a cat with a fish.

“We will proceed as fairly as possible, in the form of bidding.”

Of course, places like Hansang would be a little more advantageous than local, close-knit small and medium-sized businesses that were committing tribute corruption.

It’s definitely not because I’m a backer of Hansang.

“Are you talking about work even after coming all the way out here?”

Joo So-hwa, who had been listening to the story that I and Yi Seong-gye were exchanging, poked my side and said.

“Why did you even bring the Retired King?”

As Joo So-hwa questioned in a small voice, I crossed my arms and said.

“This trip was originally 할바마마 [halbeomama; term for grandfather] wanted to take.”

It’s not easy for the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess to leave the capital together.

I need the Retired King’s shield so I don’t get nagged.

Moreover, Yi Seong-gye seemed to have made some kind of decision with Yi Hwa’s death, so it was hard not to follow him.

“Hey, you unfilial grandchildren. I can hear everything, even in my old age.”

Yi Seong-gye burst into anger.

“Crown Princess, you must respect me. I am the founder of Joseon, an undefeated general, and….”

At Yi Seong-gye’s words, Joo So-hwa said.

“Hmph, my father is an even greater person.”

In terms of scale, Zhu Yuanzhang is bigger, so it’s not wrong… is it?

Then Yi Seong-gye, who was momentarily speechless, snorted and said.

“So where is that emperor now? My victory is that I survived.”

“……”

Watching the scene of a grandson-in-law and a grandmother-in-law, who are decades apart in age, having a childish argument, I shook my head.

“There are so many places to go, why Ganghwa Island of all places?”

In modern times, Ganghwa Island is a tourist destination, but now it was a place where passage was not easy due to the strong currents of the Yeomha River.

There was a reason why Goryeo evacuated there.

“What’s wrong with Ganghwa Island? Do you know how many scholars go on excursions to Ganghwa Island?”

Mountain and water excursions are the romance of all scholars.

However, it’s difficult to travel far in this era, so I heard that they mainly go to nearby Ganghwa Island to tour the sea.

“If you’re going to an island, you might as well go to Yeouido….”

“Isn’t that place digging up the ground everywhere, saying they’re doing construction all year round? What kind of excursion are you going to do there?”

“Isn’t there a certain charm to that?”

“You’re crazy.”

Yi Seong-gye shook his head and said.

“There is an old tie that I need to settle here.”

End

ⓒ Pitkong