There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 330

Pax Joseon (3)

331. Pax Joseon (3)

Akamagaseki (赤間關) [present-day Shimonoseki].

This location was a crucial maritime point, thriving as a hub for trade with China.

Although trade had been temporarily suspended due to the shogunate’s severing relations with the Ming Dynasty, the port had expanded and prospered even more with increased trade with Joseon and the solidified rule of the Ouchi clan.

Therefore, it wasn’t difficult for dozens of large ships from Cheonghaejin to enter and exit the port.

“Maintain order while boarding!”

“Those boarding a ship for the first time, don’t overeat. You’ll likely vomit, so it’s better to board on an empty stomach.”

On one side, hundreds of Japanese people with katanas and spears were lining up to board the ships. On the other side, those waiting were squatting and listening to instructions before boarding.

“A request for dispatch from Joseon; if we handle this well, we can make a fortune.”

Ouchi Morimi nodded solemnly.

The reason he personally led the army to Akamagaseki was to receive the official letter from King Yi Je of Joseon.

Ouchi Morimi politely bowed to Song Hui-gyeong, the Joseon envoy, and said,

“It is truly fortunate that the Emperor of the Great Ming has entrusted the King of Joseon with all matters of foreign relations.”

“His Majesty was greatly burdened by taking on such an important task.

However, it is the Emperor’s command, so we cannot refuse it.”

Song Hui-gyeong shook his head, and Ouchi Morimi’s lips twitched.

‘You’ve gone to great lengths to say such nonsense.’

It went without saying that if it were such a burden, he should have refused.

It was obviously just empty words.

‘I heard that the King of Joseon has become a powerful figure in Ming thanks to his help in the last war. Is that true?’

He knew that a vast amount of land and rights had been granted.

If he had joined in at the right time, the Ouchi clan could have taken a share.

It was regrettable that his nephew in Chungcheong-do hadn’t followed the King of Joseon and only watched when the war broke out.

Having finished his thoughts, Ouchi Morimi quickly adopted a business-like demeanor.

In other words, he made a deeply impressed face and repeatedly exclaimed.

“The King of Joseon’s capacity is indeed different from mine, who rules this narrow land! He prioritizes the completion of the work rather than small gains, so how can he not be called a great man and a gentleman?”

Ouchi Morimi continued.

“His Majesty has set a great goal, so how can I spare myself? I received prior notice, but if there is anything needed, I will do my best to help.”

“His Majesty said that he has great expectations for you. We will always cooperate if anything happens.”

“Thank you!”

It was Joseon who requested assistance, but Ouchi was strangely pleased.

However, considering the underlying reasons, it was a natural reaction.

Because Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimochi had cut off trade, the Japanese were always eager for trade with China.

At that time, Joseon offered to mediate tribute to Ming on behalf of Ming, which meant that trade could resume if Joseon built a bridge.

Of course, that wasn’t the entire picture.

However, it was true that Joseon stepped up to maintain the tribute system on behalf of Ming.

The order given by King Yi Je of Joseon was, of course, for Ouchi to cooperate in securing Joseon’s maritime dominance, and Ouchi, who had maintained a long-standing friendship with Joseon, had no reason to refuse.

‘Joseon will become the General Who Subdues the Eastern Barbarians (征夷大將軍) of Ming…’

Ouchi, who had worked with them on the Seongchung Project, knew that Joseon had the ability to do so.

If he diligently followed Joseon, he could also reap some benefits.

Ouchi asked in a subtle voice.

“Would it be enough to just add troops? It’s not much, but we also have several ships, so we will respond if the suzerain state requests it.”

Japan is the home of pirates.

The Shoni clan, who fought with Ouchi, could be considered pirates themselves, and Ouchi himself didn’t openly act as a pirate, but he wasn’t in a position to be proud anywhere.

Therefore, their naval power was also well-equipped by their standards, but Song Hui-gyeong shook his head.

“Joseon already has many large ships, and Ryukyu also has a fleet, so there is nothing to worry about.

Furthermore, you must protect your own territory, so how can we ask for ships in addition to troops?”

‘Hmm…’

Ouchi Morimi suppressed a groan at Song Hui-gyeong’s words mentioning the relationship with the shogunate.

The shogunate was inwardly uncomfortable with Ouchi, and vice versa.

Rather than causing trouble for both sides, it was better not to create any cause for complaint.

‘If we try to expand further within the country, we will be labeled as enemies of the court (朝敵) this time.’

Although he hadn’t completely subdued the Shoni clan, Ouchi’s power had almost recovered to its former peak.

Ouchi had diligently modernized his army through the Seongchung Project and had gained considerable combat experience through the war with the Shoni clan, but he wasn’t yet confident in a direct confrontation with the shogunate.

But what if he had Joseon behind him?

Ouchi had already established himself as a kind of Joseon intermediary in Japan.

The Emperor and the Shogun send people to him to obtain Joseon goods when they need something (mainly *bia* [a type of seashell currency]).

The cooperation of the forces aligned with Joseon was becoming more solid, so wouldn’t it be even better if they could get direct support when they were in crisis?

To be exact, the Jurchens came to support them when they fought against the Shoni clan.

“I wanted to serve the suzerain state with all my heart, but I can’t help it since the envoy said so. Please remember our sincerity in the suzerain state.”

“I will definitely tell His Majesty.”

It wasn’t pleasant to involve foreign powers, but Joseon wasn’t just anyone.

Were they not one family bound by silver, *bia*, gunpowder, and genealogy?

Who could criticize this?

===

I remember that Joseon’s only ally in the original history was the Ming Dynasty.

To be exact, it wasn’t an alliance but a suzerain-vassal relationship.

But it’s different now.

To the north, the Urianghai and Tatars, including Tainingwei, Fuyuwei, and Taanwei, follow my majesty, and the Liaodong people and Jurchens are also subordinate to Joseon.

To the south, everything from Tsushima Island to Ouchi, Ryukyu, and Majapahit are all our allies or within our sphere of influence.

Of course, those Uriangkai bastards aren’t very trustworthy, but they’re still fulfilling their role as Silk Road trade partners, so that’s enough.

‘I feel like I’m becoming a combining robot more and more.’

There was an editorial in the Yeoheung Soonbo [a fictional Joseon newspaper] with that sentiment.

– Joseon today is no different from a hegemon presiding over a league!

There seems to be a small commotion over whether this claim aligns with the righteousness of serving the great [Ming Dynasty], but no one was arrested.

No one petitioned for punishment… as far as I know.

Serving the great in this era isn’t exactly a religion.

There were so many scholars who were excited that I absorbed Liaodong and took the title of Prince of Shen, so it was understood as an extension of that.

But I thought this argument was quite insightful into the core of my foreign policy.

The Ming Dynasty is so large that it can dominate neighboring countries with the power emanating from its vast land and population, but a small country like Joseon cannot.

The only way for Joseon to maintain hegemony is to obtain organic cooperation with other countries.

Whether it’s economic or military gain, they must be made to voluntarily stick to this side.

‘In such a situation.’

“How should we handle Annam’s request for dispatch?”

“There’s no way we can accept it.”

The complete withdrawal of the Ming army.

What took its place was a remnant of the Tran Dynasty royal family, whether real or not, but unless they were fools, they would know that their lives were hanging by a thread.

They frantically sent requests for support to Ming, and now they are reaching out to us.

They seemed to remember the case where we sold the *Wokou* [Japanese pirates] gangs we had captured to Emperor Yongle’s Annam expeditionary force.

In the past, I would have considered poking at it, but not now.

‘I said that the Tran Dynasty would collapse soon.’

Since Baek Dal-won first told me this, I have secretly investigated and found that his words were close to the truth.

“As a joke, there is a widespread saying that two Tranns are fighting, but one is not a Tran and the other is not an Annamese.”

“Huh.”

The one who is not a Tran must be referring to Emperor Tran Cao (陳暠) on the rebel side.

Yeo Ri, who leads the restoration army, proclaimed him emperor and declared the revival of the Tran Dynasty, but in fact, it is unclear whether he is a member of the imperial family, or even a Tran.

It’s just a focal point for gathering the restoration movement forces, so it doesn’t matter much.

Perhaps he will be discarded when the great cause is achieved, just like Han Lin’er, whom my father-in-law once nominally served as his lord.

‘Tran Cao is like that, but the Annam king’s side is rather serious.’

If the former is laughing at the suspicious lineage of Tran Cao, the latter even reveals hostility that he is not even Annamese.

‘It’s almost like propaganda spread by other restoration movements other than Yeo Ri.’

There is no way they can endure it.

Because he knows that, he conveyed the message to us through Ming.

“The Emperor has made a special request.”

No matter how much it is my nephew-in-law’s request, what cannot be done cannot be done.

It was the Ming Dynasty that colonized Vietnam, withdrew because it couldn’t handle it, and only established a puppet regime.

Why are you telling me to clean up the mess?

In fact, I was the one who recommended the withdrawal of the Ming army.

Minister of Rites Heo Jo stepped forward.

“However, Your Majesty, should we stand idly by as Annam collapses as the same vassal state?”

“The same vassal state?”

How can this Joseon be the same as those Manchuguo [Japanese puppet state in Manchuria] guys who were usurped by their own powerful officials, ruined, and then rebuilt by the Ming Dynasty?

‘But there is some truth to that.’

Joseon has declared both internally and externally that it has been entrusted by Ming with responsibility for vassal states.

Of course, the facts officially agreed with Ming are different, but anyway, the people of Joseon and foreigners related to us will know that.

‘The world is strange.’

I don’t know if my shoulders were raised because I beat up Jo Wang and annexed Liaodong, or if I suddenly felt a sense of responsibility as a vassal state.

In Shin Byeong-ga and the like, they seriously discuss alliances and vertical and horizontal strategies and say that Annam should be supported.

Most people don’t even know where Annam is, but the guys who like to spread out maps and play coloring games are different.

The globalization I pursued has returned as nonsense from these room-bound strategists.

However, I cannot lose my mind and throw all the troops I have squeezed out while manipulating Ryukyu, Ouchi, and the Jurchens into the Vietnamese jungle.

“It is certainly necessary to turn our attention elsewhere.”

There is no value in discussing the words of those who have not even passed the civil service examination.

But the Ming Dynasty is different.

I can’t just deny it and say that I don’t want to get involved in other people’s wars after acting like a hegemon by selling the name of the Ming Dynasty.

We need a justification that the Ming Dynasty can accept.

Besides, since I’ve gathered the troops, I had to beat someone up and show off Joseon’s power.

There happened to be a good opponent.

“Tell them that we are busy helping the Jowa Kingdom to wipe out the Islamic bandits, so we cannot interfere with Annam’s situation.”

The Islamic guys are slowly crawling up to us.

‘Those guys who knelt to the Ming Dynasty don’t kneel to us?’

The Ming Dynasty’s gangsterism hasn’t disappeared.

We just took it over instead.

I have to show that clearly.

Pax Joseon (3) End

ⓒ Pitkong

There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]

There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]

내 조선에 세종은 없다
Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
Bookmark
[English Translation] Imagine a Joseon dynasty unlike any you've read before, where the throne isn't yours by right, but by cunning and strategy. What if the most revered king in Korean history, Sejong the Great, was your younger brother? Forced to confront a destiny not of your choosing, you face a daunting question: Can you truly surrender to fate, or will you defy it to forge your own legend in a kingdom ripe with ambition and intrigue? Dive into a world where blood is thicker than water, but power is the ultimate prize. Will you yield, or will you rise?

Read Settings

not work with dark mode
Reset