There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 273

“This brings back memories.”

Lee Bang-won suddenly spoke as we entered the back alley.

“I used to wander around the back alleys of Gaegyeong [present-day Kaesong, North Korea, then the capital of Goryeo] a lot back then.”

‘What was my father like in his younger days…’

Like the gangster he was back in the day, who smashed Jeong Mong-ju’s head in broad daylight, Lee Bang-won strode forward without any fear.

“Don’t worry. Even back alleys have their own rules.”

As if to prove his point, no one suddenly brandished a knife and demanded money.

If they had, I would have pulled out the six-shooter I keep tucked away.

Aside from the drunks sprawled out everywhere and the unsavory characters giving us the stink eye, it wasn’t much different from the outer streets.

Then, a man greeted us with a sly grin.

“What brings you noble sirs to a place like this?”

“We’re just wandering where our feet take us. Do we need a reason?”

The man rubbed his hands together and replied to my question.

“That’s true, but when high-ranking people like you grace us with your presence, they usually have something specific in mind, so I asked.”

“Noblemen come here often?”

I couldn’t believe that the noblemen of the capital would frequent such alleys, but the man readily answered.

“You can find anything you want in Namdaemun Market. Friends to gamble with, women for a night… and recently, even things like this.”

With that, the man pulled something out of his pocket.

“What’s this…?”

It was surprisingly a book.

‘He doesn’t exactly look like a bookworm.’

I took the book with a suspicious expression.

The title [大學] (Dà Xué – Great Learning) was written on the cover, but what kind of gangster carries around the words of Confucius?

‘Even I don’t do that.’

If this is really the Great Learning, I’ll eat my hat.

Sure enough, when I flipped through a page,

“This is…!”

There was a large drawing of a man and woman engaged in lewd intercourse.

My father and uncle, who were watching beside me, raised their eyebrows.

But what was more shocking was something else.

– I’ve wasted half my life!

Dialogue bubbles were messily drawn with those words.

‘……It’s a manga.’

An adult manga, at that.

‘I roughly expected something like this to happen when manga was invented, but…’

Seeing it in person was quite shocking.

I wondered how long these things had been circulating.

“Hehe, what do you think? Most people who want erotic art buy it in Cheonggyecheon [a stream in Seoul known for its markets], but the quality of what you can find here is different.”

“There’s a place like this in Cheonggyecheon too?”

Just how far has the darkness of Joseon [historical Korean kingdom] spread without my knowledge?

More importantly, don’t trade that stuff where I’m turning the waterwheel [a reference to the narrator’s economic activities].

“Of course, there is. But as I said, our stuff is on a different level than those Cheonggyecheon guys, whether it’s the intensity or the artwork…”

However, the three of us were no longer listening to what the man was saying.

“Th-this… lewd…”

Lee Bang-gwa’s face turned bright red as he flipped through the pages.

He shouted in anger.

“Morality… has fallen to the ground… We must buy them all and burn them…!”

……Isn’t that a little too obvious?

“I may have gotten my son by praying to the King of Gods, but I’d say half the credit goes to this erotic art book.

Unless you’re Buddha himself, you can’t help but feel energized when you see this beautiful artwork. It’s truly the dark arts’ secret weapon.”

‘Is this guy for real?’

I glared at him without realizing it, but the artwork was indeed impressive, as the man said.

The story is trash, but isn’t the artwork all that matters in adult manga?

‘To be honest, the Illustrations of the Three Bonds and Five Relationships [a Confucian text emphasizing social hierarchy] were simplified to make them easier to draw.’

Since they were mass-produced as woodblock prints, the artwork had to be simplified.

It was also meant to be a gag manga in the first place.

But this one was meant to arouse people, so they drew the bodies in unnecessary detail.

‘I don’t know if this is the original or a copy.’

I was more curious about the identity of the person who could draw such art.

“Tsk, you country bumpkins. Don’t you know Master Jigok?”

It wasn’t the man who answered, but a drunkard sprawled out next to him.

“What did you say?”

Lee Bang-gwa raised his arms in anger, but I quickly stopped him.

“Jigok (池谷).”

Sure enough, the signature of Master Jigok was clearly engraved on the last page of the erotic art book.

“Is he a famous person?”

“Everyone in this industry knows him. His real name is…”

“Is?”

The man stopped talking and shifted his gaze to the book in my hand.

“Before that, this book is for sale, so let me calculate the price first.”

This guy is a good businessman.

I flicked him a silver coin, and the man bowed deeply with a bright smile.

“I’ve included the value of the name in the price, so please tell me everything.”

“Ah, of course. It’s not like his name will wear out if I say it.”

The man clapped his hands and continued.

“It’s Ahn Gyeon.”

===

Even though a solemn tone regarding sexuality had taken root since the founding of Joseon, morality could not be established overnight.

The so-called ‘corruption of the late Goryeo period’ was like the modern era in this time, so the customs that had continued from then still remained to a considerable extent.

As in the original history of Joseon around the 18th century, it was only natural that the demand for ‘this kind of thing’ exploded after the turbulent times ended and people had enough to eat.

The final blow was the nationwide distribution of the Illustrations of the Three Bonds and Five Relationships.

“There are such drawings in the world?”

This young man, Ahn Gyeon (安堅), who lived in Jigok, Chungcheong Province, originally dreamed of becoming a court painter.

For Ahn Gyeon, the Illustrations of the Three Bonds and Five Relationships was a shock itself.

How could a drawing drawn with just a few lines, like a doodle, have a story and shake people’s hearts like this?

Moreover, the country was distributing it to every village school, recommending people to read it.

He read and reread the Illustrations of the Three Bonds and Five Relationships, which were placed in the village schools for ‘educational purposes’ – strangely, a few volumes were always missing in the middle – and cultivated his dream of becoming a cartoonist.

He ambitiously went to the capital, but because he was still young, the walls of the Dohwaseo (Royal Academy of Painting) [Joseon’s academy of painting] were too high.

His life in the capital was almost impoverished, but those with talent are always found somewhere.

Thanks to the popularity of erotic art that was spreading by word of mouth, he even moved to the back alleys of Namdaemun.

“What I really wanted to draw wasn’t this kind of erotic art…”

Ahn Gyeon always lamented, but his wallet told a different story.

Erotic art was selling like hotcakes, to the point where he had several painters copying his work, so his pockets became quite full.

The boss was also a good businessman and didn’t particularly bully him, and he took good care of the money.

“Even if you enter the Dohwaseo, you will only be looked down upon as a painter. But now that your reputation has grown and even noblemen come to you to learn about the affairs of yin and yang, wouldn’t you call it a refreshing thing?

If you still have regrets, I won’t stop you from preparing for the Dohwaseo examination, but even if you stay in the shadows, what’s wrong with that?”

Instead, he kept him with his eloquent words, so it was not easy for Ahn Gyeon to go out into the light.

Ahn Gyeon was also experiencing the dilemma of an underground artist.

If it hadn’t been for a chance call, this agony would have continued.

“Ahn Gyeon! Where is Ahn Gyeon! Surrender peacefully!”

“Don’t leave anyone out, beat them all up and drag them away!”

Ahn Gyeon thought as he was beaten with the hexagonal clubs wielded by the Uigeumbu (Royal Investigation Bureau) [a Joseon-era law enforcement agency] officers who had suddenly burst in.

‘Ah, I’ve been having a comfortable worry all this time.’

===

“Ahn Gyeon?”

Even though I’m not a history buff, I know what Ahn Gyeon does.

‘He was definitely the one who drew the Daedongyeojido (Detailed Map of Korea) [a famous map of Korea].’

No, was that Kim Hong-do?

……I’m not sure about that either, but let’s move on.

Cultural assets are confusing.

Anyway, since I’ve heard of Ahn Gyeon’s name somewhere, I can guess that he’s a big name in this era.

‘Such a great painter is drawing erotic manga right now?’

Like an artist who left his name in history, his talent is revealed even while drawing erotic art.

That was a fact that could be seen just by looking at Joo So-hwa, who didn’t know anything and was flipping through the erotic art book I bought.

“Wow, wow.”

Joo So-hwa’s face turned red, and steam rose from his head.

He’s old enough to know everything now, but he’s still like this.

Well, reality and media are different.

I’ve been exposed to the flood of modern media, so my mind is as calm as a mirror, but it’s different for Joo So-hwa, who has no immunity.

Leaving Joo So-hwa, who couldn’t take his eyes off the erotic art book even as his eyes were spinning, I called for the Royal Secretary, Maeng Sa-seong.

“Your Majesty.”

Maeng Sa-seong’s eyes were not kind, but I ignored it.

“I went out in disguise and found that the market prices are not good. Order the Gyeongsi Department (Capital Markets Office) [a Joseon-era government office] to quickly grasp the situation of the illegal stalls and prepare countermeasures.

I think it would be good to expand the manpower of the Gyeongsi Department to take charge of management and supervision. Replicate the conscience scales left in the Gyeongsi Department and move them to each market.”

It’s good to be a king.

I can avoid nagging by taking the lead with orders.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As expected, Maeng Sa-seong had no choice but to answer that way.

“And, I heard that a man named Ahn Gyeon is making a name for himself with erotic art. Have you heard of him?”

“Excuse me?”

Maeng Sa-seong couldn’t hide his agitation and asked back in a high voice.

This old man knows him too.

I thought he might not know him if it was Hwang Hee, but…

“How does Your Majesty know such a person?”

“Is there anything in the world that I don’t know?”

I wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for this outing in disguise.

What is the National Intelligence Service doing?

There’s no way they’d report the status of adult manga artists to the president.

But I have to bluff like this to establish the dignity of the king.

“Although Ahn Gyeon is drawing indecent erotic art, his talent has reached my ears, so I want to meet him.”

“How could Your Majesty directly meet such a lowly painter…?”

“Tsk. People hone their talents, so how can there be lowly people? Obey my orders!”

I said sternly.

My stance was so old that it had moved even the artisans of the Military Supplies Department, but it seemed to be received differently by people.

“So you like that erotic art so much?”

“Hehe… I’m at an age where my blood is boiling… I understand…”

The snickering retired king duo, who seemed to have misunderstood something, annoyed me, but I had to summon Ahn Gyeon first.

But it seemed that the retired kings weren’t the only ones who misunderstood.

“His Majesty is looking for the erotic art painter Ahn Gyeon.”

“His Majesty strongly ordered the Royal Secretary to bring him without fail, right?”

“There was an order to arrest Ahn Gyeon, who is spreading blasphemous erotic art! From now on, the Uigeumbu will set out to arrest Ahn Gyeon and other erotic art makers!”

“There is an order to wipe out all the erotic art makers in this Joseon land!”

“Your Majesty, we have brought the sinner Ahn Gyeon!”

Why do my subordinates always bring people in this state when I tell them to bring someone?

Was what I ordered actually a war on crime?

I sighed as I looked at Ahn Gyeon, who had been beaten and dragged in like a dog.

In the meantime, Min In-saeng, don’t write in the historical records that I suppressed adult content.

“Are you looking at my historical records again?”

“It’s obvious.”

After pushing away the startled Min In-saeng, I looked down at Ahn Gyeon.

End

ⓒ Pitkong