There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 33

“This is an interesting contest. Quickly, bring paper and ink!”

Yi Bang-won shouted, but I stopped him.

“Since we’re composing poems on the spot, why bother with such formalities? Let’s compose a poem in seven steps.”

“Oho! That sounds fun too!”

It’s much more challenging to recite the poem as you take each step, rather than writing it down with a brush.

In other words, this is a rule I created to mess with Kwon Geun.

Though the motif is taken from Jo Sik’s Seven Steps Poem [a famous poem highlighting quick wit and talent].

“Th-that is.”

“Why, are you not confident?”

“Of course, I am!”

Kwon Geun jumped up and said.

If he backed out, appearing unconfident against a child like me, it would be an utter disgrace.

“I set the theme, so I’ll yield the first move to the Grand Scholar [a high-ranking scholar or official].”

You always lose if you go first in these things.

Source: Cooking Master Boy [a popular manga/anime known for its intense culinary battles].

I said magnanimously.

Kwon Geun replied bravely, like a true man.

“Very well. I won’t refuse.”

He downed a glass of alcohol and began to recite his poem in a clear voice.

“In times of great difficulty for the Eastern nation,
Our King’s achievements were made.
He soothed the people and spread benevolent governance,
Serving the great nation with utmost loyalty.
Receiving the Emperor’s grace in bestowing the nation’s name,
He moved the capital and raised the fortress city.
Hoping to strive in tribute,
Serving the Ming Dynasty for all eternity.”

With each step, the poem flowed smoothly from Kwon Geun’s mouth.

“Ooh!”

The assembled officials exclaimed.

Yi Bang-won was the same.

‘Impressive?’

Even though I deliberately created rules that were disadvantageous to him, the quality of the poem was excellent.

Even the most quick-witted poet could fumble and ruin it in this situation, but he produced a poem of this caliber.

‘Damn it, I might actually tie.’

I didn’t think I would lose.

The poem I prepared was created much later, even officially commissioned by the government.

“The Grand Scholar’s poem praises the achievements and virtues of the King who founded our Joseon, and it is truly excellent.
Now it’s the Crown Prince’s turn!”

The eyes of many officials turned to me.

They weren’t exactly filled with anticipation.

‘The Crown Prince doesn’t even read books, what’s he doing with such confidence?’

That’s probably what they’re thinking.

But that image was actually good for me.

Like lying about not studying before an exam, it’ll make me look like a genius.

The poem I prepared was exactly that level.

I slowly walked forward and opened my mouth.

“The six dragons of Haedong fly, and everything they do is blessed by heaven…”

It was the Songs of Dragons Flying to Heaven [a cycle of poems commissioned to celebrate the Joseon dynasty’s founders].

It was propaganda for our Jeonju Yi clan, created during King Sejong’s reign!

I began to recite the first two chapters of the Songs of Dragons Flying to Heaven in a clear voice.

“Like matching tallies with the ancient sages,
A tree with deep roots is unshaken by the wind, so its flowers are beautiful and its fruits are abundant.
Water from a deep spring never dries up in a drought, so it becomes a stream and flows to the sea.”

After taking all seven steps, the second chapter ended.

‘Good thing I timed it right.’

I don’t know anything after that.

I only memorized this because they said only this would be on the college entrance exam.

I remembered what my Korean language teacher said while hitting my head with a recorder during my senior year of high school.

‘Hey, you don’t understand the classics? Then just memorize it. From beginning to end. No, just memorize the first two chapters that come out on the college entrance exam.’

And then I failed miserably when other parts came out as questions.

‘But why is it so quiet?’

Even after reciting the entire poem, the people around me were as silent as mice.

Even Yi Bang-won was silent, staring at me.

‘Could it be that it doesn’t resonate with the sensibilities of this era?’

How much difference could there be between King Sejong’s era and King Taejong’s era that this wouldn’t work?

As I was tearing my hair out in doubt, Yi Bang-won barely opened his mouth.

“Excellent.”

“Indeed, it is. It perfectly captures the spirit of our royal family.”

“A tree with deep roots and water from a deep spring. Is that not a truly elegant metaphor?”

Yi Bang-won and the officials praised the poem in unison.

Kwon Geun was staring at me with a bewildered expression.

‘Do you feel the difference in power?’

This is the Songs of Dragons Flying to Heaven.

Yi Bang-won, who was also watching Kwon Geun’s reaction, broached the subject.

“Still, the Grand Scholar’s poem was good too. Both of you were so excellent that it’s hard to determine who is superior, so how about we call it a draw this time?”

“Yes, that would be best.”

The officials said, watching his expression.

The atmosphere was completely in my favor, but they couldn’t ignore Kwon Geun’s feelings either.

“No, this contest is the Crown Prince’s victory.”

At that moment, Kwon Geun bowed and said.

“Grand Scholar, are you admitting defeat?”

“Yes, I am.”

Kwon Geun lowered his head.

“We agreed to compete with impromptu poems, but I am already too old and didn’t have the confidence to compose a poem in seven steps. So, I simply recited the poem I wrote when I went to Ming as an envoy.”

“Ah, that’s why!”

I clapped my hands.

Kwon Geun’s poem was excellent, but the flaw was that it suddenly drifted into praising the Ming Dynasty at the end.

The theme was clearly about discussing the majesty of our royal family.

If that hadn’t happened, the competition would have been more intense.

“On the other hand, the Crown Prince’s poem, even though it was composed on the spot, praised the virtues of our royal ancestors, and the writing was excellent.
How could such a poem come out in just seven steps…”

Kwon Geun couldn’t bring himself to say more.

“I… have lost.”

“Waaah!”

“We congratulate the Crown Prince on his victory!”

The officials shouted, pouring barley tea as a form of celebration.

‘Ugh, stop!’

I ran away from the officials who were running towards me with barley tea and went to Kwon Geun.

‘Don’t overdo it. I just memorized it too.’

“Grand Scholar, your poem was good enough, even though it wasn’t an impromptu poem.”

“Your Highness…”

I’ve had many bad encounters with Kwon Geun.

But Kwon Geun wasn’t a mere sycophant, so after being defeated by me in poetry, he seemed to have acknowledged me to some extent.

‘Now who’s going to teach whom?’

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m going to worship Kwon Geun.

I defeated Kwon Geun, who was confident in his poetry, in one blow, so no one will tell me to study anymore.

“Seja [Crown Prince].”

Then Yi Bang-won quietly called me and asked.

“But there’s something I’m curious about.”

“What is it?”

“The six dragons of Haedong that you recited earlier.”

“Yes.”

“It is clear that four of the six dragons refer to Mok Wang, Do Wang, Ik Wang, and Hwan Wang, and one clearly refers to the King who founded this Joseon.”

“That’s right.”

At least that’s what I learned.

Then Yi Bang-won asked with a smile on his face.

“Then who is the remaining dragon?”

Ah.

He wanted to hear it directly from my mouth.

“Of course, it’s Father.”

Yi Bang-won’s mouth seemed about to split open.

His son wrote a poem praising his virtues along with those of his ancestors.

‘I’m sorry, Great-Uncle.’

I apologized to Jeongjong, who was left out, in my heart.

But honestly, seven dragons is a bit weird.

It seems a bit clumsy.

===

The news that Crown Prince Lee Je had defeated Kwon Geun in poetry spread widely throughout Gaeseong.

It was a natural consequence, as Kwon Geun was quite a celebrity.

“What kind of poem did he write that even the King was impressed?”

“They even say that Grand Scholar Kwon Geun admitted defeat!”

“Heo [an exclamation of surprise], who would have known that the Crown Prince had a talent for poetry.”

The Crown Prince had committed many eccentric acts, but defeating a high-ranking official with his writing was another story.

Naturally, the scholars who had lamented that the Crown Prince was engaging in lowly public work or had subtly looked down on him had no choice but to change their minds.

“I heard that he quit studying not because he didn’t want to study, but because he didn’t need to study anymore!”

“They say he grilled his officials, saying that he couldn’t face anyone who hadn’t read the Zhu Zi Quan Shu [Complete Works of Master Zhu],”

“Isn’t he also proficient in the Book of Songs, even memorizing it backwards?”

Among those who didn’t know the situation, rumors spread, and before they knew it, the story was that he had read so many books that he tormented his officials.

It was a snowball effect that Crown Prince Lee Je had never intended.

===

Just as we have to go to work after the weekend, we have to work after the banquet.

Hwang Hee, Maeng Sa-seong, Heo Jo, and I, along with Choi Hae-san, entered the throne room with grim faces.

Yi Bang-won and several high-ranking officials were watching.

I took a deep breath and said.

“Hae-san, no, Chief Choi. That.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Choi Hae-san brought in a large contraption.

There was a board on top of a wooden pillar, and several thick sheets of paper were attached to the front.

It was something I had prepared from Hanyang.

The first page read:

“Hanyang Development 5-Year Plan.”

I turned to the high-ranking officials and opened my mouth.

“Within the next five years, Hanyang will break away from being a simple city and be reborn as the new capital of Joseon.”

At my signal, Choi Hae-san flipped the paper over.

I pointed to the map of Hanyang drawn on the second page with a pointer.

“There are five core projects: the construction of main roads, the dredging of Cheonggyecheon Stream, the reinforcement of the city walls, the construction of Changdeokgung Palace, and the creation of the market district. These projects will continue for five years.”

The paper continued to be turned.

Along with it, the cross-shaped main roads that ran through Hanyang, the dams to prevent the flooding of the stream, the revised plan for the city walls built during Yi Seong-gye’s reign, the bird’s-eye view of Changdeokgung Palace, and the market districts widely spread in Jongno [a major street in Seoul] passed by.

The next page had several bar shapes neatly drawn.

I pointed to the bars with a pointer and said.

“By actively introducing the Geojunggi [lever-based lifting device], Nokro [waterwheel-powered mill], and Type Vehicle, it has increased by 30%. As a result, despite the expansion of the construction scale, there is no significant difference in the manpower to be mobilized.”

“Hoo!”

“Seeing it like this, I can see that the Geojunggi is definitely a useful item!”

The intuitive comparison provided by the bar graph made the officials understand at once.

“3,000 workers will be mobilized from Chungcheong-do and Gangwon-do, which are adjacent to Gyeonggi-do, with 1,000 assigned to the construction of the palace and the remaining 2,000 to be投入 [tōnyū – invested/put into] into the dredging of the stream and the creation of various government offices and market districts.”

The next paper was full of tables.

However, this was also not a problem for the ministers to understand.

“Indeed, it’s so neat!”

Yi Bang-won clapped his knees.

The most important thing I focused on during this briefing was this point.

A PPT that even people who are not directly involved in the construction of Hanyang and have no prior information can easily understand.

To that end, I actively introduced graphs and tables.

By using various visual materials, it was easy to see how much could be reduced.

It was easier to see how much manpower and materials were needed than to understand it with full lines of text.

“And we have secured 10,000 timbers from Gangwon-do…”

I continued the explanation, and each time, people nodded their heads.

It was terribly difficult to transfer it to paper and draw it instead of using PowerPoint, but if everyone gathered here understood the outline, it was not a loss.

“If this is the case, there will be no major setbacks in the construction of Hanyang!”

“If most of it is completed within 5 years, Gaeseong may lose its status faster than expected.”

It was not uncommon for the officials to whisper to each other.

“Excellent, excellent!”

Yi Bang-won shouted.

“How did you come up with the idea of explaining it this way?”

“I devised it myself.”

Of course, it wasn’t, but as always, I answered that way.

“…”

Yi Bang-won’s surprised gaze briefly fixed on my face, then turned to the officials.

End

ⓒ Pitkong