There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 208

‘Why the sudden outburst?’

I stared at Yi Seong-gye, dumbfounded.

Coming to a grave and acting like this could create resentment where there wasn’t any before.

However, Yi Seong-gye steadfastly glared at the humble grave.

After silently engaging in a staring contest alone, Yi Seong-gye opened his mouth.

“I regret establishing this nation.”

‘Regret.’

It wasn’t something a nation’s founding monarch should say, but knowing Yi Seong-gye’s life story, I understood to some extent.

“At first, I lived without much thought, but as things progressed, I became ambitious.

I felt like I could do better. That I would be better than the incompetent Goryeo.

Others said the same. So, what could I do? I had to establish a nation.”

Yi Seong-gye spoke slowly.

“To do that, I had to kill many innocent people. Wang Chang here was no exception.”

Like all countries, Joseon was not founded peacefully.

Goryeo was a nation that deserved to fall, and Yi Seong-gye’s coup could be seen as a patriotic decision that achieved historical progress.

However, no matter how historically inevitable the fall of Goryeo and the founding of Joseon were, not all the blood shed in the process could be considered just and clean.

Wang Chang, who was enthroned by others as a child and eventually killed by them, and the Wang clan members who drowned off the coast of Ganghwa Island are prime examples.

That’s why Yi Seong-gye visited this place.

Because he was like a symbol of the blood he had shed.

“But I thought it was okay because I had a greater cause. Because there were people who believed in me and followed me. I thought the ends justified the means.”

However, the throne he ascended to after all that was hell.

The Joseon he founded was precariously shaky from the start, and his sons, sons-in-law, and even friends were all killed.

“In that situation, what meaning could this Joseon have for me?”

Yi Seong-gye lost everything in an instant and instigated Jo Sa-ui’s rebellion in a state of despair.

Even if he had succeeded in overthrowing Joseon, only destruction would have remained.

Gyeon Hwon had already shown that path.

But at the time, Yi Seong-gye probably didn’t care what happened.

“I thought I had nothing left. So, I thought of overthrowing this country without looking back.”

To Yi Seong-gye, Joseon was nothing more or less than a symbol of the sins and karma he had committed.

“But you showed me that it wasn’t.”

Yi Seong-gye said quietly.

“The reason I initially decided to overthrow Goryeo was because it was unqualified. Since the reign of the military regime, Goryeo had failed to protect anyone in this land.

But the nation you created is different. From the merchants in Hanyang’s market to the common people in this countryside, don’t they all think that tomorrow will be better than today?”

Yi Seong-gye’s words continued.

“Now I don’t regret establishing this nation.

Because you, your descendants, will continue to care for this country. You will make it a much better and wealthier nation than the Goryeo I had to destroy.”

“······.”

“So, I won’t apologize to this pitiful fellow. Even if the Wang clan ghosts curse me to the end, I’ll just take the punishment when I die.”

Now I understood why Yi Seong-gye had given Wang Chang a warning instead of an apology.

Perhaps the grandfather needed a ritual to affirm his own life.

“Summon the magistrate of Ganghwa.”

At Yi Seong-gye’s words, the magistrate of Ganghwa and his attendants, who had stepped back, rushed over.

Yi Seong-gye ordered the magistrate.

“Shin Chang’s tomb is crude and unsightly. When you return to the government office, raise the mound and assign people to manage it.”

The magistrate of Ganghwa, who was listening to Yi Seong-gye’s order, was greatly surprised and asked back.

“But, isn’t Shin Chang a traitor who shook the Jongmyo [royal ancestral shrine] of the former dynasty and disturbed the country?”

“Although Shin Chang was a traitor, he was once the king of this country. This child’s sin should be attributed to Jo Min-su and Lee Saek, who enthroned Shin Chang. So, at least provide him with a proper burial mound.”

Yi Seong-gye said that, then added as if he remembered something.

“Also, do not punish the villagers who buried Shin Chang here. Rather, they risked danger and showed compassion, so give each of them a bolt of silk and commend them.”

“The Former King’s virtue is so bright that we cannot help but be moved!”

The villagers knelt down and shouted, and Yi Seong-gye nodded.

‘Is this Yi Seong-gye’s own gesture of reconciliation?’

From the perspective of the dead Wang Chang, he might be angry, saying, ‘What is this, giving medicine after giving poison?’ but it looked that way to me.

In any case, with Yi Seong-gye’s measures as the last, we left Ganghwa Island.

Whether the real Wang Chang was scared and withdrew his curse, we’ll see later.

===

The wife of a Grand Prince in the Joseon Dynasty received the title of Bubuin. However, in the early days when etiquette was not properly established, they sometimes received the title of Ongju. Similarly, Sim Gyeong-hui, the wife of Grand Prince Chungnyeong, was also ennobled as Princess Gyeongsook.

Sim Gyeong-hui was gradually adapting to life in the East Palace, just as she was becoming accustomed to the title.

The East Palace [residence of the Crown Prince] was regarded as some kind of demonic realm in the world, so her family members were very worried, but in reality, there were no particularly dangerous or scary things.

– They say that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sits deep in the East Palace and is always plotting strange things.

– Only those who received the best scores in the civil service examination are assigned to the East Palace, and it is said that this is to help His Royal Highness’s plans.

– The reason why strange objects are constantly popping out of the East Palace is because His Royal Highness keeps people working day and night to create them, and once you enter that place, you can’t get out.

‘Of course, it’s all true, but······.’

Sim Gyeong-hui wore a troubled expression.

She couldn’t deny some of the rumors, but fundamentally, weren’t they all pleasant and good people?

She felt foolish for worrying before coming here.

Her younger husband also had an eccentric side, perhaps heavily influenced by his older brother, but they had a good relationship.

In particular, Crown Princess Ju, her sister-in-law, whom her family members were most worried about, was the same.

“This is the famous Ganghwa hwamunseok [woven sedge mat]!”

When Ju So-hwa gestured, Nobun, the Crown Prince’s close eunuch, immediately presented her with a mat embroidered with a pair of mandarin ducks.

It was a souvenir she bought from her trip to Ganghwa Island.

Hwamunseok was an expensive item, and Ganghwa Island hwamunseok was famous for its quality, so Sim Gyeong-hui gratefully accepted it.

However, with her keen eye, she soon noticed something strange.

“Didn’t you buy one for the Crown Princess?”

“Huh? Well, I······.”

“Since it’s a seat embroidered with mandarin ducks, wouldn’t it be better to use it with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?”

“I was going to.”

Ju So-hwa pouted.

At that moment, Nobun quickly said.

“Originally, the Crown Princess bought that mat to use with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Then?”

“But on the way, His Royal Highness saw mandarin ducks and said, ‘Actually, male mandarin ducks live with different females every year,’ so the Crown Princess felt uncomfortable using it.”

It was the Crown Prince as usual, ruining the atmosphere with unnecessary noise.

“I don’t care how real mandarin ducks live. But knowing that I bought that mat and deliberately saying that is too much, right?”

“······I will use this hwamunseok well.”

Her sister-in-law began to tell her about what happened in Ganghwa Island in great detail.

However, judging from Ju So-hwa’s condition and the episodes she told, it seemed that nothing had changed since before she went to Ganghwa Island.

“Did anything happen in Ganghwa Island?”

“Huh? What should have happened?”

Sim Gyeong-hui was speechless at Ju So-hwa’s innocent question.

This sister-in-law always wanted to act like an older sister, but somehow she had a naive side, so things didn’t go as she wanted.

The same was true for conversations that were subtly off, like now.

‘Certainly, the Crown Princess seems a bit different from other young ladies······.’

It’s not like there is no sex education in this era.

Rather, in the sense that the elders of the family educate them with textbooks like erotic paintings, there may be more open aspects than in modern times.

In particular, since there is a purpose to continue the lineage, Sim Gyeong-hui also received strict education before getting married.

However, Ju So-hwa, who lost her parents early, had no one to teach her this.

Empress Inhyo, Lady Seo, who was in charge of discipline, fell ill and was unable to take care of her before she could properly teach her.

Perhaps because of that, it was a flaw that she didn’t know anything well.

“Did you······ sleep in the same room?”

“Of course. These days, we hug each other every night in the same room.”

Sim Gyeong-hui pondered for a moment as Ju So-hwa spoke proudly.

‘Could it be that she really doesn’t know?’

Looking closely, it seemed that she didn’t even know that she didn’t know.

‘His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is at an age of vigorous blood and is knowledgeable in strange aspects, so he can’t not know.’

Sim Gyeong-hui pondered for a moment.

In fact, there was something awkward about her, as a sister-in-law, telling her something that the Crown Prince hadn’t bothered to teach her yet, but it would be better than continuing to know nothing.

Especially since she was not just a sister-in-law but the Crown Princess who would continue the lineage of this country.

Thinking that, Sim Gyeong-hui’s shoulders became very heavy.

Sim Gyeong-hui steeled her heart and opened her mouth.

“Crown Princess, can I have a word with you for a moment······.”

“Ear? Why the ear?”

Ju So-hwa asked, expressing her doubts, but listened obediently.

Sim Gyeong-hui took a deep breath and began to whisper in Ju So-hwa’s small ear.

Then, Ju So-hwa’s face turned red in an instant.

“U, ah?”

Her mouth couldn’t even utter proper words.

The dignity of her sister-in-law had disappeared without a trace.

Although it was questionable if she ever had such a thing in the first place.

“If, if you make too much noise······.”

Sim Gyeong-hui’s face turned red because her brother was like this.

“Anyway······ do you understand?”

“Ugh, but······.”

Ju So-hwa fidgeted with her fingers, looking incredulous.

“Do, do other people all live doing that?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Does sister-in-law too?”

Sim Gyeong-hui was flustered by the direct question, but as a descendant of a prestigious family, she answered the elder’s question immediately.

“I haven’t yet······. But it’s in the books.”

“The, there’s a book?”

Ju So-hwa asked in surprise.

“I brought it from my parents’ house just in case······. Shall I lend it to you?”

She couldn’t think properly, but she tried to pull herself together, looked around, and answered in a small voice.

“······I want to see it.”

It seemed that she would have to wait a little longer for the day when she could properly act like an older sister.

===

It had already been several years since Ju So-hwa entered the East Palace, but there hadn’t been anything special between her and that girl.

I was an idol of the East Palace, so there was no need to rush, and the girl was literally a blank slate, so I didn’t know how to approach her.

This was the first time I had encountered such a case, both in modern times and in this era.

‘But I have to do what I have to do.’

This is not just a matter of marital harmony.

For the legitimacy of the Crown Prince and the relationship with the Ming Dynasty, I need to focus on that girl.

‘Okay.’

If there’s something she doesn’t know, I’ll just have to teach her one by one.

As I was thinking that, the door to the bedchamber creaked open.

“Where have you been?”

When I asked, Ju So-hwa stuttered as she answered.

“I, I was just in Princess Gyeongsook’s room······.”

The two were on good terms, so it wasn’t strange.

But the atmosphere around her was somehow strange.

“Um, husband.”

“What?”

The next moment, Ju So-hwa hugged my waist tightly.

‘Was she planning to knock me down?’

But that didn’t happen because of the difference in strength between the two.

“Do, do you know that?”

Undeterred by her failure, Ju So-hwa looked up at me and said.

Her eyes were spinning.

“······Know what?”

“Babies aren’t actually brought by storks. You, you didn’t know, did you?”

I looked at her smile, which was half embarrassment and half pride, and thought.

······You just found that out?

End

ⓒ Pitkong