There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 237

“Considering the kindness I’ve received from the brothers of Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom], I’d like to divide even my own royal lands…”

King Wikramawardhana of Majapahit [historical Javanese kingdom] wore a troubled expression, though it was mostly for show.

He could manage this much since the Joseon people were watching; otherwise, he would have been scowling deeply.

With three years of civil war and its aftermath giving him a headache, Joseon’s request itself was stressful.

With the coast constantly threatened by external forces stirring in various locations, there were surprisingly few lands inland that were conveniently accessible by water transport.

He was reluctant to give such strategic locations to the Joseon people for something as trivial as planting trees.

No matter how much they paid.

‘But the Joseon people’s gunpowder is very useful.’

The gunpowder of the Joseon people was more powerful than anything he could acquire elsewhere, as if they had used some kind of magic.

On top of that, they were selling various wondrous gunpowder weapons that they also presented to the Ming Dynasty [historical Chinese dynasty], making it difficult to simply refuse them outright.

After a moment of contemplation, Wikramawardhana came up with a solution.

“Due to our country’s circumstances, I cannot give you the land you requested. However, my heart would ache if I did not reciprocate the friendship with Joseon.”

Min Mu-gu stared at him with a face that seemed to say, ‘What is this bastard trying to say, beating around the bush like that?’ but Wikramawardhana continued without concern.

“How can I sell my land to a brother for money? Although it is not the place you desired, I would like to bestow a small island upon you, if that is acceptable.”

Of course, it was not a strategic location.

Even if it might have been in the past, now it was at best a place with only a few scattered small fishing villages.

If Wikramawardhana had read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms [classic Chinese novel] and learned the term ‘chicken rib’ [something of little value], he would have used it to describe this land.

Therefore, he offered the proposal to Min Mu-gu, self-praising his own ingenuity.

===

“Are you saying we should go to the front lines?”

Min Mu-gu also wore a troubled expression at the reaction of his subordinates, whose faces had turned pale.

“The Malacca Sultanate [historical Malay sultanate] was originally a tribe that resided on a small island, but it is said that the island was abandoned when their king was driven out by the Javanese army. The King of Java says he will give us that place if we want it.”

The subordinates seemed to understand the King’s scheme.

Currently, Malacca was enjoying its heyday, paying tribute to the Ming Dynasty and receiving the backing of Zheng He [Chinese admiral and diplomat].

However, Majapahit, which had driven them out, was rapidly declining due to internal strife and the rise of Islamic forces over the past few decades.

Wasn’t the intention to send the Joseon people to a land that was captured but felt uneasy, using them as a shield?

If Joseon refused, the troublesome request for a plantation would be terminated, and even if they accepted, Majapahit would not lose anything.

“They are crazy about gunpowder, yet they are stingy with even a small piece of land for us. I can understand why Java’s national power is declining.”

“That’s right. Even we made the decision to grant land to the Ouchi clan [Japanese clan], didn’t we? To be so stingy with a small piece of land…”

The Joseon people had completely forgotten that Joseon had only given land to Ouchi in exchange for the Iwami Silver Mine, and had openly refused during King Jeongjong’s reign.

However, they couldn’t just keep criticizing the King of Java.

Min Mu-gu asked his subordinates to make a decision.

“So, should we refuse this?”

“Please refuse. We can either find a farm through other means, or find a way to obtain rubber separately.”

“That’s right. Why should we get caught between other countries and shed blood?”

“Hmm… I suppose so.”

Min Mu-gu thought that was right, but there was also a dissenting voice.

Yu Jeong-hyeon, who had been away from Joseon for several years, calmly persuaded him.

“Even if it’s a difficult land to defend, wouldn’t it be better to obtain the island first? The only base we have established in the Nanyang region [maritime Southeast Asia] so far is a trading post in the Javanese capital, which means that all sea routes to our homeland pass through Javanese territory.”

It was true that Joseon was using a smoother trade route through friendship with Majapahit, as it was difficult for Joseon to mobilize a large number of troops to this distant place, but who knew when the King’s mind might change depending on the situation.

Also, Majapahit’s declining national power was unsettling.

“Of course, Java is trying to use us as a shield, but we don’t have anything to lose. Malacca is the same tributary state of the Great Ming, so even if it’s Java, how could they send troops to harm us?”

‘I never thought that our leading role in serving sake when Admiral Zheng He went to the Western Seas would come back like this.’

It was an act to save face for the Ming Dynasty, but it unexpectedly benefited Joseon.

At least, the fact that Joseon was the first tributary state of the Ming Dynasty was clearly engraved.

“Hmm… is that so?”

As Min Mu-gu was persuaded by Yu Jeong-hyeon’s eloquence, Yu Jeong-hyeon drove in the wedge.

“Above all, His Highness the Crown Prince is the Emperor’s brother-in-law, and the Chief Envoy is His Highness’s maternal uncle, so how can we not call them relatives of the Emperor? How dare the King of Malacca harm the Emperor’s relatives?”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

Min Mu-gu nodded quickly.

The Ming imperial family and the Joseon royal family were related by marriage, and the Joseon royal family and the Yeoheung Min clan were also related by marriage, so he was no different from a relative of the Ming imperial family!

It was a strange logic, but Min Mu-gu was filled with confidence.

Min Mu-gu was also a figure who helped Yi Bang-won lead troops during the two Princes’ Revolts [struggles for the Joseon throne] and served as the Supreme Commander of the Central Army.

Why would a brave man fear a battle that hasn’t even happened yet and refuse land?

As Min Mu-gu made his decision, someone suddenly asked.

“But what is the name of that island?”

They hadn’t even asked the name because they were so busy discussing whether there was a reason to occupy it and whether they could defend it.

Then Min Mu-gu scratched his cheek and tried to remember.

He just couldn’t get used to the names of these southern barbarian countries.

“Hmm… what was it called? Singa something… Ah!”

Min Mu-gu, who had finally remembered, clapped his hands.

“I heard the name is Singapura! [Old name for Singapore]”

===

Singapura.

After King Parameswara, who ruled this place, was expelled by Majapahit, Singapura was virtually abandoned.

Malacca wasn’t particularly interested in recovering its old territory, so the stalemate continued, but that was it.

The trade routes were all taken away by Malacca, which was founded by the ousted Parameswara, and now only a few small-scale trading settlements and fishing villages remained.

Min Mu-gu, who had formally received Singapura from Majapahit, soon rebuilt the ruined castle and unleashed the pirates of Cheonghaejin [Joseon naval base] to subjugate the scattered settlements in various places.

“This place is Joseon land from now on! You must swear allegiance to His Majesty the King of Joseon!”

The people of Singapura were greatly surprised to see the pirates suddenly brandishing Majapahit’s credentials and Japanese swords, but they soon expressed their willingness to obey.

Majapahit had left the place like a vacant lot without any intention of governing it, so there was nowhere to ask for help, and even if there was, it was obvious that it wouldn’t be of much use.

Meanwhile, Min Mu-gu sent Yu Jeong-hyeon to Malacca to inform them that this place had become Joseon land and to express his desire to strengthen friendship as the same tributary state of the Great Ming.

Malacca was uncomfortable with the sudden appearance of the Joseon people, but they couldn’t just punch them in the face when they had reached out first.

Just looking at the fact that the Joseon people accompanied the Zheng He fleet to receive tribute, it was clear that their relationship with the Ming Dynasty was not ordinary.

“I heard that the Joseon royal family is a close relative of the Ming Emperor?”

“Then is that Lord of Singapura also a collateral relative of the Ming Dynasty? This has become troublesome.”

“The Ayutthaya guys [historical Siamese kingdom] in the upper district are also a headache, so it might be better to leave it as a buffer zone with Majapahit rather than carelessly touching it.”

Meanwhile, Min Mu-gu had planted a flag in Singapura and declared it Joseon land, but he was worried about reporting it to the court.

“It is a territory bestowed upon us by the King of Java, but if we tell the court as it is, there will surely be an uproar, saying that His Majesty is a subject of the King of Java. Wouldn’t some strange sparks fly at me?”

Min Mu-gu now absolutely trusted Yu Jeong-hyeon, who had ‘soothed the King of Malacca with his silver tongue and forged friendship.’

For him, the only measure he could think of was to change the word ‘bestowed’ to ‘gifted.’

Yu Jeong-hyeon answered clearly.

“What was our original purpose for seeking land? Wasn’t it to buy a farm to plant rubber?”

“That’s right.”

“Then is the person who received the land from the King of Java our Majesty, or Cheonghaejin, who sought a rubber plantation?”

“Oh, is that how the story goes?”

Cheonghaejin is a state-run enterprise in charge of Joseon’s foreign trade.

Since it owns ships, sailors, and troops to obtain the trade goods needed by Joseon, why wouldn’t it be able to own an island?

“If you think about it that way, this island should be seen as a company decree of Cheonghaejin. Then what does it matter that it was bestowed by the King of Java?”

The word ‘company’ had been coined by Crown Prince Yi Je and was still unfamiliar in Joseon proper, but people abroad were using it even more.

Because they lived hearing bizarre names of people and places from the perspective of Joseon people, they now felt familiar as long as the word was in Chinese characters.

“Company decree, company decree.”

Min Mu-gu stroked his beard and thought.

It was an unfamiliar concept, but it was a plausible justification for avoiding blame.

Soon, Min Mu-gu, who had become as dignified as Seo Hui [Goryeo dynasty diplomat], who had obtained the Six Garrisons east of the Yalu River, wrote a report on the circumstances of taking Singapura and sent it to the court, and soon the Joseon court was turned upside down.

===

“They discovered rubber?”

The report, which had arrived via a Cheonghaejin ship that had returned with pepper, camphor, resin, nutmeg, ivory, and other goods as usual, was immediately reported to my father through the court and then delivered to the East Palace.

I, who was in the midst of extracting gutta-percha from eucommia [a type of tree], was delighted by the rare good news.

It would take at least a few months for the report to arrive, even if it flew straight away, so it must have been discovered before I was imprisoned in a rice chest, but how could it be so coincidental?

‘My maternal uncle has been helpful for the first time.’

It was worth risking my life to save my dying maternal family.

I also liked the idea of discovering rubber trees, but because the planted area was rough and it was difficult to obtain them in large quantities, they came up with the idea of acquiring new land and growing them there.

It is incompetence to just discover it and waste time asking, ‘What should we do now?’

In that respect, Min Mu-gu’s actions were commendable.

‘Since it’s a tropical plant, I certainly won’t be able to grow it in Joseon. Did they buy a farm in Majapahit or something?’

Branches far away like Java must handle tasks proactively without waiting for instructions from the home country.

They must have bought a farm in a suitable place on their own.

“Hmm, I see. They obtained a place called Singapura. Singapura… under the Malacca Sultanate…”

Wait, what?

“No, why is this guy suddenly playing the land-grabbing game?”

My maternal uncle is too proactive.

End