There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 295

Royal Prince Ju Gao-su and his officials rushed in shock toward the fallen Emperor Yongle.

However, Emperor Yongle, who had exhausted all his strength, wore the most peaceful expression in the world.

“You all…”

Emperor Yongle opened his mouth as he lay still.

“The conquest of the Uriangkhai must be postponed.”

“Your Majesty!”

“Do not grieve. I chose to die standing rather than live kneeling.”

At those words, the officials’ gazes turned to one place, but realizing their disrespect, they quickly lowered their heads.

“Let the Crown Prince inherit the throne. The Grandson [Emperor Xuande] is bright, so there is no need to worry about a successor. You must all return to Nanjing and follow the Crown Prince’s orders.”

Emperor Yongle closed his eyes and said,

“Tiananmen has risen so magnificently, but it is a pity that I could not move the capital during my lifetime…”

What a pity indeed.

Even this ruthless man had something weighing on his mind.

‘Sohwa, it is regrettable that I cannot see that child before I go.’

When Emperor Jianwen wielded the sword of Sakbeon [a symbolic act of abdication] at his own neck, he raised his army without a moment’s hesitation.

Even knowing that the disgrace of being a traitor who killed the emperor, his own nephew, would forever remain on his name.

‘If compromise were possible, it would not be desire.’

He thought that he did not care if everyone in the world criticized him, as long as he could get what he wanted.

‘But the human heart is not always like that.’

When he first entered Nanjing, he rescued that child from the burning palace.

While Fang Xiaoru cursed and Tie铉 poured out insults at him, only that child fearlessly approached and held onto his sleeve.

It may have been a ray of salvation for Emperor Yongle.

Emperor Yongle smiled wistfully as he recalled that time.

How beautifully she must have grown up now.

Or the children that child bore.

But he would never be able to meet them.

‘I don’t like it, but that Joseon King will take good care of her.’

Then there is nothing to worry about.

Relieved, Emperor Yongle used his last strength to open his mouth and leave his will.

“Let it be known that I fell in battle after slaying eight enemy generals and exhausting my strength.”

“……”

People responded a step late to Emperor Yongle’s words.

“Ah, I understand, Your Majesty.”

But Emperor Yongle had already closed his eyes.

1418.

In the original history, the year when Grand Prince Seongnyeong Yi Jong passed away in Joseon and King Sejong Yi Do ascended the throne.

Emperor Yongle passed away six years earlier.

However, he who had burned so brightly had no regrets.

===

In the wake of the sudden death of the emperor, the officials who gathered in the barracks had no time to wail.

“What do we do now?”

“Shouldn’t we retreat following His Majesty’s will?”

“We must quickly inform His Highness the Crown Prince in Nanjing of His Majesty’s demise.”

Royal Prince Ju Gao-su finally came to his senses.

Wasn’t this moment the very moment he had been longing for?

‘But… what should I do?’

Should he shout to depose the Crown Prince and put himself on the throne?

Meng Xian was the one who stepped forward in place of Ju Gao-su, who was stammering as if stunned.

“The Prince is the one who stands in the front row of all officials, and Royal Prince should consult with the Royal Family to receive the late emperor’s order. When deciding on the advance or retreat of the army, you must consult with Royal Prince!”

As Meng Xian shouted, those who had been bribed in advance nodded in agreement.

“That’s right! The Emperor always consulted with Royal Prince when there was something to be done!”

Since they had been alienated from the Yongle regime, they seemed to be betting their lives on making Royal Prince take control of the military.

As they gathered their mouths and pushed the public opinion, the gathered officials could not even think of objecting to the force.

“Well done. So, what should we do now?”

Ju Gao-su, who barely took a breath thanks to Meng Xian’s wit, called him and asked.

“You must summon the generals outside, seize their military power, fabricate a new edict from the Emperor, and lead the army south. The sooner, the better.”

Meng Xian spoke as if he were asking something obvious, but Ju Gao-su hesitated.

“But, since the Crown Prince is in Nanjing, doesn’t that mean we have to take this army and invade Jiangnan [region south of the Yangtze River]?”

“That’s right.”

“I thought it would be easy to gain the throne after the relocation of the capital. But Nanjing is ten thousand miles away from here and has the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, so isn’t that a disaster?”

Meng Xian was frustrated because Royal Prince, who had been trying to find a way to assassinate Emperor Yongle until just now, changed his words as soon as the work came.

“When the late Emperor was in Nanning, he fought against more than ten times the number of enemies and eventually defeated Jianwen. Now that you have the elite army selected from the country, what are you afraid of?

They were overwhelmed by the momentum and accepted your leadership, but not everyone will follow you with their hearts. Before anyone can back out, you must start something!”

However, Ju Gao-su still had a troubled look on his face despite the desperate cry.

Meng Xian, who had briefly gone out to check the situation, hurriedly reported.

“It’s already too late. I heard that someone has left the camp.”

“What? Who is it?”

“It’s probably someone from the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince finds out that you have taken control of the expeditionary army, he will immediately issue an order to suppress you, so now there is no turning back!”

“Then chase after him and shut his mouth!”

Ju Gao-su said in great surprise.

But Meng Xian wanted to use this as an opportunity to solidify his lord’s decision.

“He must have gone several miles ahead, so how easy would it be to catch up? The sword has already been drawn! Please make a decision!”

Hesitating, Ju Gao-su finally made a decision at the words that the Crown Prince’s suppression order would be issued.

“Call the people together! I will strike first before the Crown Prince moves!”

However, their expectations were wrong.

Ju Gao-su was not the only one who had expectations—or hopes—that Emperor Yongle might die during the expedition.

Royal Prince Ju Gao-hū.

He gathered private soldiers, used the emperor’s utensils, and killed officials before being banished to his fiefdom, but he still did not abandon his desire for the throne.

Even in the original history, Ju Gao-hū paid attention to the possibility that the emperor might die during the expedition.

Therefore, he sent his son to lie dormant in the capital and used several people a day to send news to the royal palace.

Ju Gao-hū’s scheme failed as the eunuch Ma Yun and the minister Yang Rong hid Emperor Yongle’s death and returned, but now the one guarding Emperor Yongle’s side was not them but Royal Prince.

“That bastard Royal Prince Ju Gao-su dared to strike first!”

Ju Gao-hū was furious, but he could not deny that this was a golden opportunity.

The lame, fat Crown Prince was no match for him, but he could never ignore the power of the central government.

That’s why he twisted his body to avoid being kicked out of the capital.

Just in case, to overturn the regime.

The ambition to eat the throne raw through a coup d’état had flown away, but there was still an opportunity left.

What if Royal Prince caused a great disturbance above, focusing the attention of the entire court, and he raised an army in Shandong?

Ju Gao-hū was different from his brother.

A person who could revolt without hesitation like his father.

So, the one who actually started it, was suppressed, and died.

That was Royal Prince Ju Gao-hū.

The royal palace of Luoyang in Shandong began to move busily.

===

“As I look at the sky, the celestial energy is disturbed. It is a sign that something ominous is happening in the world!”

“Heok, is that really so?”

As I asked, swallowing my breath, the Taoist with a long white beard nodded.

“Your Majesty is a divine being, so you must have noticed. From some point on, the celestial energy has been distorted and the natural order has been scattered. If this continues, Joseon’s fortune will not last long.”

“Then what should I do? Tell me the way!”

At my question, the Taoist said with a mournful expression.

“There is only one way. Our country has traditionally regarded the mountain range as its waist, so the national fortune depends on the spiritual power of the mountain god. Your Majesty must personally offer sincerity to the mountain god…”

“Hey! What are you talking about? You should seek the mercy of the compassionate Buddha!”

“It’s because you don’t perform ancestral rites! Ancestral rites must be performed with sincerity!”

I raised my finger as I watched the gathered charlatans arguing.

“There, the last guy is eliminated.”

At my command, the soldiers rushed in and dragged him out.

‘How many ancestral rites does the royal family perform? Ancestors’ stomachs will burst.’

You have to say something that makes sense even if you’re scamming.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Please save me, Aaaagh!”

I don’t intend to kill you either.

I’m just sending you to the Goulag [forced labor camp in the Soviet Union, used here metaphorically].

“Now, the remaining guys, continue.”

As I clapped my hands, the guys who were looking at the charlatan being dragged away turned their heads and stammered.

“So, so, by borrowing the spiritual power of the mountain god…”

Everyone’s faces turned pale, and they seemed to realize that their own future was bleak, let alone the celestial energy.

I don’t know where the guys who used to cheat innocent people like they had honey on their tongues went.

‘It’s less fun than I thought.’

I thought while yawning.

Even while living as much as I could and people’s consciousness was awakening, there were always guys who spread such rumors and misled people.

Since the country was peaceful, there was not much of a backlash, but it was clear that they were eating away at the world.

Well, how many reincarnated Messiahs were there in that small land when I was in modern times?

‘I wondered who would win if they met each other back then.’

So, I caught them all and put them in a charlatan battle royale, but this is what happened.

Let’s have our kind Joseon people consult with state-certified shamans who have basic medical knowledge.

“Now that I see it, you can’t even speak skillfully. What kind of fate can those who didn’t even predict that they would be caught by government soldiers tell? Drag them all to the Goulag.”

At my command, the gathered Taoists, shamans, monks, and defrocked monks screamed and disappeared.

I felt a little sorry for them, but I was able to calm my mind when I thought that they would be the ones who would spread false rumors in the rear during the war.

‘Am I getting weaker?’

I would have thrown them into the Goulag without question, but considering that I even held such an event, I guess I’m feeling uneasy.

Could it be that I unknowingly wanted to rely on foresight?

Well, of course, I won’t start anything right away, but no one knows what will happen to the political situation in the next few years.

“If the celestial energy is really disturbed, how can it be corrected with a mere ritual?”

The only thing that can prepare for the future is more firepower.

“How is the replacement of weapons for the Royal Guards going?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. It has been completely completed.”

“What about the Training Command?”

“As the two former Kings have ordered, we are only waiting for the parade.”

I was planning to hold a parade with the Training Command, which is the central army.

Of course, avoiding the timing when the envoy comes.

King Taejong Yi Bang-won did not sympathize with the need for a military parade, but surprisingly, this is an important part.

The overwhelming power must also be shown to the people, and they must be given the belief that they will not easily lose even if a war breaks out.

In particular, the people who remember the Goryeo era, when they were treated as restaurants by the Red Turbans and Japanese invaders, needed more certainty.

The certainty that this country, Joseon, has a strong enough army.

That way, even if a war breaks out, we can push forward without worrying about the unrest in the rear.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty!”

At that time, Royal Secretary Maeng Sa-seong called me as he ran in.

For a gentleman like Maeng Sa-seong to run in like that.

What on earth is going on?

“The Emperor, the Emperor!”

Did Emperor Yongle notice?

I widened my eyes at the encroaching anxiety, but what Maeng Sa-seong shouted was something completely different.

“The Emperor has passed away! It is the news just decoded from the Manja Pagoda (卍字塔, Telegraph) in the capital!”

What, did you say…?