There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 223

The biggest drawback of debating swordsmanship is the difficulty in reaching a conclusion.

Without set rules, it often devolves into elementary school-level arguments like, ‘Well, I dodged it anyway,’ or ‘My attack is too fast to dodge.’

The same goes for discussing military strategy.

Even if you argue all day in a room, you usually end up with hurt feelings and no real conclusion.

Trying to settle things with Go or chess? Well, maybe in ancient times, they were used for war games, but now they’ve become separate games.

Winning at those just means you’re good at Go or chess.

But at least the war game I created was special in that it clearly determined victory or defeat.

It’s simple, and the fact that tens of thousands of people can experience war without complicated arguments is a huge merit.

It was only natural that Yi Bang-won summoned me to commend me.

“Thanks to the game you created, I can now see the progress of the war at a glance. The officials of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also find it very useful.”

“Of course.”

Compared to modern war games using supercomputers, it’s obviously crude, but in this era, even this much is a groundbreaking idea.

“It’s definitely useful. I’ve ordered the Joint Chiefs of Staff to use it not only for the Ming army but also for the Japanese army.”

“That’s a good idea. I still remember how much we suffered from the Japanese pirates during the Jeonjo era. These leech-like bastards are a bit quiet now, but it’s never bad to be prepared.”

Yi Seong-gye said that.

Well, now that we’ve subjugated most of the Jurchens, our main enemy is the Japanese pirates.

In fact, it was unusual to conduct the game assuming a war with the Ming army, so it wasn’t strange that the Japanese army DLC was added.

‘Originally, having three races is the most suitable for game balance.’

This is what our traditional games tell us.

But as I pondered, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity.

‘Wait a minute.’

The three races of Joseon, Ming, and Japanese armies competing in strategy…?

For some reason, my heart ached.

I quickly changed the subject to shake off my modern memories.

“By the way, what should we call this game?”

I haven’t given it a name yet, so we’re just calling it a pronoun, but we can’t keep calling it that forever.

If you translate war game directly, it would be something like 戰爭遊戲 (Jeonjaeng Yuhui) [War Game in Korean].

But it’s a bit ambiguous to attach the word ‘game’ to war.

Doesn’t it sound like a name for a war maniac?

So, I had to find a word that sounded a bit more impressive.

“What should we name it?”

At Yi Seong-gye’s question, I quickly nodded.

“Mencius once competed with Gongsuban in front of the King of Chu and defended all nine times, so we can take the name of this game from there.”

This is the story of Mencius’s defense.

It’s also called Muksu for short, so if we take it from there, it would be something like Muksahui.

I nodded at my high naming sense.

“Tsk, why give it such a grand name?”

But Yi Seong-gye immediately retorted.

“Discussing military strategy on paper is called jisangdambyeong [armchair strategy], so discussing military strategy by moving pieces on a table should be called taksangdambyeong [tabletop strategy]. In short, Takbyeonghui.”

“…I don’t think that’s a very good meaning.”

Jisangdambyeong is a story that originated from the legendary mouth-star Jo Gwal [a historical figure known for his disastrous armchair strategy].

You’re still bitter about losing with Muksahui last time.

“Who lost! Yi Seong-gye, who single-handedly wrapped up Saro Byeongjin [a historical battle], is practically…”

I chicly ignored Yi Seong-gye’s excuse.

I don’t listen to people weaker than me.

“And what’s with the name Takbyeonghui?”

The name Muksahui is better.

Yi Bang-won, who had been watching our grandfather and grandson’s argument, opened his mouth.

“Hmm. But it seems that the name of this game is already somewhat commonly used in the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

“Yes?”

Well, the Joint Chiefs of Staff can’t just call it , so they must have made a tentative name.

As the original author, I don’t care what they call it.

Then Yi Bang-won took out a record of the war game.

The title clearly written on the front caught my eye.

“Huh?”

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff call this record Imjeonrok (臨戰錄) [Record of Facing War] because it is a record of the war.”

Yi Bang-won continued.

“So, they call playing the game ‘writing Imjeonrok,’ and at some point, they started calling the game itself Imjeonrok. Wouldn’t it be better to use that name as it is?”

Oh, oh this?

Is ‘that name’ coming out here?

I rubbed my subtly throbbing back of the head.

I didn’t expect the word Imjeonrok to come out here.

To make matters worse, Yi Seong-gye, who had been huffing and puffing, shouted.

“Whatever, let’s play again! This time, I’ll show you the true counterattack of Joseon!”

As Yi Seong-gye shouted, I sighed deeply.

I guess I’ll have to be dragged around by my grandfather for a while.

===

Just as those who have not passed the civil service examination are called scholars, those who have not passed the military examination are called idlers (閑良) [Hallyang, a term for unemployed gentry].

In fact, as with everyone else, it was closer to not being able to do it rather than not doing it, but the Banggusuk Jeon Galyangs [those waiting for an opportunity], who were waiting for the day to spread their wings in the wilderness, absolutely did not want to admit it.

The original Jeon Galyang was also an unemployed person who lived nobly in Choryeo until a scout offer came in, so it was very easy for them to empathize.

Ji Won-jong, the grandson of Ji Yong-soo (池龍壽), a famous general from the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, was the same.

In fact, he was a person who did not achieve much in the original history, so he was preparing for the military examination, but there were no great achievements.

Like other idlers, he did not have any difficulties in living, so he was just an ordinary military examination student who hung out with people in similar situations and spent his days doing idle things.

“How did you do on the preliminary military examination this time?”

“Huh? Did I already take the preliminary military examination?”

“Hey. How can someone who is preparing for the military examination not even know the application period?”

“Anyway, I was just going to take this military examination as an experience. I can just say I tried it.”

“Well, that’s true.”

He left the house late and went to the Seowon Library [private academy] to study military books, and when he saw that a new edition of the Oryun Haengsildo [Illustrated Guide to the Five Moral Disciplines] had come out, his hand went to the wrong place.

“Are you going to read comic books as soon as you get to the library late?”

It wasn’t something that the people who were chatting next to him should have said, but Ji Won-jong answered calmly.

“Doesn’t the military examination also consider Confucian virtues? I have to deeply learn the basics first.”

“What a good excuse.”

After reading the Oryun Haengsildo for about half an hour while chuckling.

When he tried to open the military book again, saying that he really had to study now, he felt dizzy and sighed.

When he came out of the library to clear his head for a while, his friends were huddled together outside, as if they had agreed to it.

“This so-called military student is sitting and reading books like a miser, so I’m dying of stiffness.”

“Who isn’t?”

“Why don’t we go out for a while to get some fresh air?”

At someone’s words, the idlers stopped abruptly.

Even though they hadn’t read the book properly until noon, they couldn’t help but feel guilty.

However, the proposer provided a convenient excuse.

“Isn’t there also Gyeokgu [a polo-like game] in the military examination? We have to watch the demonstration of the players playing directly and learn deeply, right? This is all studying.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

“That’s right. And I have a feeling that the military books will come to my head better if I go see Gyeokgu?”

After reassuring each other, the idlers felt very refreshed.

Nothing was resolved, but they felt confident that they could go see Gyeokgu.

They headed to Gujeong [the polo field] as if they had agreed to it.

“Damn it! I lost again!”

“What the hell are the Minmun guys doing stuck in Bupyeong? If they’re going to be like this, they should just disband the team.”

“The team that’s going down is going down. The salt farm team is just in the middle.”

The idlers kicked stones while cursing like that.

“Ugh, I’m annoyed. Let’s go to my house and eat some Chogye [vinegar chicken soup].”

“Let’s do that.”

On the way, they stopped by the Chogye house and told them to deliver it to their house.

Because the oil price and salt price were quite cheap, it was not a big deal for a slightly wealthy family to pool their money and buy chicken like this.

Ji Won-jong, who was watching the delivered chicken legs, thought.

‘Damn it, I don’t know what I did today.’

Everything bad has changed in this world.

‘Why did I have to prepare for the military examination now?’

Even when the seniors who passed the military examination first were students, the world was not like this.

There were not many temptations of the world, so if you ate three meals a day and looked at military books in the morning and evening and practiced martial arts, they would all pass one by one.

But what is it like now?

If you look at comics a little, go to see Gyeokgu, and have a party with friends while eating Chogye, the day is over.

This routine is so fun that I can’t cut it off.

‘When did the world change like this?’

What kind of goblin made this world?

Ji Won-jong lamented like that.

The time has come to really study.

I have to tell these friends who are playing now firmly and start preparing for the real military examination from tomorrow.

That’s when it happened.

“Ah, by the way, have you guys heard of a game called Imjeonrok?”

“Imjeonrok?”

At someone’s words, Ji Won-jong raised his head.

“Isn’t my father in the Joint Chiefs of Staff? The Crown Prince made a game where several armies fight each other in a mock battle, and it’s not made carelessly, so it’s so realistic that you experience a real war.”

‘Crown Prince!’

Ji Won-jong’s mind came to his senses.

That’s right.

The Crown Prince is the culprit of all these temptations.

Isn’t it difficult to study because it’s a world where strange things that came out of the East Palace [the Crown Prince’s residence] come out new when you fall asleep and wake up?

If it wasn’t for the Crown Prince, he would have passed the military examination and acted as a dignified military officer.

Ji Won-jong closed his eyes tightly.

The time had come to really suggest to these friends that they study.

“I heard from my father that they don’t know how time goes by when they do it. If you guys are okay, I’ll ask my father to copy it in a simple way.”

But… wouldn’t the game that the Crown Prince made be terribly fun?

Ji Won-jong soon made a firm decision.

“As a military man, how can I stay still after hearing this story?”

“Yes. In my family, even if I grab a Go board at the Doljabi [a traditional Korean first birthday custom], they say I’m a great general, so if there’s a game where I can compete in military strategy, I can’t not try it!”

The night in Hanseong [old name for Seoul] was getting deeper.

===

The young man visited his cousin’s house after a long time.

He had come to discuss with his maternal cousin with a big decision, but when he opened the door, he forgot what to say for a moment.

Scattered horses and boards.

And his cousin was sitting upright alone among the idlers who were lying down and sleeping.

“Ja-myeong (子明) has come.”

“W-What is this, brother?”

Ji Won-jong answered with his eyes wide open.

“This is a wonderful game called Imjeonrok made by the Crown Prince.”

“My aunt said that the lights in the room don’t go out all night these days… Don’t tell me you’re doing this? What about the military examination?”

“The military examination is not important now!”

The young man was speechless at his cousin’s outburst.

“Compared to studying the mysteries of military strategy, fame and fortune are trivial.”

“What is that…”

Ji Won-jong said quietly.

“I am now on par with or better than Sun Tzu.”

The young man, Yuhak (幼學) [student] Choi Man-ri, swallowed hard at his cousin’s madness.

It seemed that the Crown Prince, whom he had never seen, had ruined several people again.

End

ⓒ Pitkong