There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 373

374. Returning Home

It was right after I concluded the Geumju Confederation with the speed of a storm and returned.

As soon as I entered the capital, Dani, who had been waiting, rushed out to greet me.

“Father!”

Seeing him run with tears in his eyes, I opened my arms wide.

“Yes, my son!”

Did my absence feel that long to you?

Even after marriage, he’s still my child.

Dani was so overjoyed that he hugged me tightly, lifting me a good half-inch off the ground.

“Your… Your Highness, even in your happiness, this is a bit much, don’t you think?”

He’s still shorter than me, but surprisingly strong.

“Ugh.”

Ju So-hwa, who stood nearby, turned her head away, seemingly embarrassed by the display.

Regardless, Dani clung to me, almost sobbing.

“This son! I asked about when you would return! Nearly a hundred times! Why didn’t you ever reply?”

Ah, that.

It’s not like a child constantly texting when their parents are coming home, so there’s no real reason to reply.

‘I was incredibly busy, too.’

The situation over there was hectic.

If parents don’t come home, you should cook rice yourself and take out side dishes from the refrigerator to eat.

“If I leave my post, how can you act so immaturely after only being away for a few months?”

I rebuked him sternly.

This was a golden opportunity to learn practical skills with the help of excellent officials while both the King and Queen were away from Hanyang [modern-day Seoul].

To whine after only a few months of acting as regent.

How will you ever rule this country when I’m gone?

As I clicked my tongue, Dani said with a resentful look.

“Then why didn’t you give your foolish son some guidance before you left?

What is this periodic table that the scholars of the Hall of Worthies [Joseon Dynasty’s royal research institute] are agonizing over while trying to name it?”

“Ah, that. It’s not easy to explain in this era, or even now, but it’s essential for the future…”

“Then what about truth tables and logical expressions?”

“That’s the same.”

I wonder if I’m pushing things too far ahead, but it’s knowledge that I’ll release before I die anyway.

Wouldn’t it be beneficial if human development advanced by a few hundred years, even at the cost of historians racking their brains?

Then Dani pouted and said.

“You always emphasized the importance of handover, but you didn’t even explain anything properly to your son before leaving?”

“…….”

A few reasons come to mind.

I was only going to be away for a short time, so I didn’t think I needed to teach him, and there was no time physically because the trip to Geumju was decided so suddenly.

“And more than anything, it was because I trusted you.”

I said, placing my hand on Dani’s shoulder.

However, Dani looked at me with an expression that was far from impressed.

I had hoped that the working-level staff would handle it on their own, but it seems that it was too heavy a burden for my young son.

‘Isn’t it? Actually, when I was that age…’

Such thoughts suddenly surfaced in my head, but I quickly banished them to the depths of my subconscious.

Ugh, if these thoughts persist, I’ll become a bad adult who locks his successor in a rice chest [a method of execution or punishment in Joseon Dynasty].

I’ve been locked in there too, and it’s not a very pleasant experience.

“Was there anything else wrong?”

If there had been an urgent matter, a report would have reached me as soon as I returned.

Even if he complains here and there, there would be nothing that he couldn’t handle right away.

Dani scratched his head and said.

“Many people asked me why you called yourself Taewang [Great King].”

“Ah, that.”

The news of the Geumju Confederation and my enthronement as Taewang spread faster than my return.

First, the news went out through the court gazette, and then it spread widely as private newspapers, including Yeoheung Sunbo, picked it up again.

The reactions were mostly like this.

“The barbarians from all over Geumju gathered and swore allegiance to our King, didn’t they?”

“I heard that His Majesty accepted the will of all people and reluctantly ascended the throne because the envoys who came to pay tribute begged him.”

“Then is he the Emperor now?”

“But why is he called Taewang? What’s the difference between Taewang and Daewang [King]?”

“Hey, isn’t Tae (太) higher than Dae (大)?”

It was news that filled the Joseon people with pride, but there were many questions about the title in various ways.

In particular, it seemed that the Ministry of Rites, which is sensitive to such things, had been tormenting Dani a bit.

“Taewang? What kind of title is that?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to just engrave the title of Emperor cleanly…”

“Should we suggest to His Majesty to change the name even now?”

Complaints poured out from those who did not understand the fundamental meaning of the title Taewang.

I can’t blame them for not having proper history education, but when I think about it, I don’t remember hearing such a title in the history I newly learned in the Joseon Dynasty.

It seems that it was a title newly discovered in the modern historical community.

Therefore, the Ministry of Rites’ skewed view that Taewang was created by adding one more dot to Daewang was not entirely wrong.

Even the royal guards who escorted me had subtle reactions.

Aren’t you guys Jurchen [a Tungistic people who lived in the northeast of China]?

Why are you guys following etiquette?

You should have just accepted it even if I called myself Daeseonwoo [Great Shanyu, a title used by nomadic rulers].

Did you eat some ink at Yaeun Academy [a Confucian academy]?

Anyway, Dani seemed to have had a hard time defending it without knowing what was going on in Geumju.

“In fact, I had many questions myself.”

My son, why don’t you understand your father’s will?

It’s not because of the Sadae主義者 [those who advocate serving the great powers] inside.

Anyway, the people in the court now are people who wouldn’t stop me if I said I would become the Emperor, even if they wouldn’t recommend it.

It’s not because of my fierce oppression of the press, but because the public opinion of the Ming Dynasty has generally plummeted.

‘If I engrave the Emperor, I can’t hold the Confederation.’

This kind of justification is the most important thing if you want to contend with the Ming Dynasty.

If I ascend to the throne as Emperor at the Confederation, it means that everyone who attends must become my subject, but of course, not everyone will agree to this.

Taewang or whatever, it’s not the Emperor, so the other leaders can accept me as their leader.

Dani nodded at my words.

“Now, Your Majesty can tell the court officials that! If there is such a thing next time, please send this son to Geumju instead, and Your Majesty should protect the capital.”

After saying that, he ran away to the East Palace without waiting for my answer.

That guy, now that I see it, he’s cheering because he’s freed from paperwork now that his dad is back.

In the meantime, do you want to go to Geumju again to see your barbarian friends?

‘What’s going to happen to the country.’

Now is the time for a literary-style King.

My head throbbed.

* * *

The Geumju Confederation is over, but visits from state guests who want to belatedly put their names on the covenant continued.

People also came from the Great Khan of Bukwon [Northern Yuan Dynasty], but in fact, whether they participate in this game or not, it doesn’t have a big impact on the overall trend.

Among the many people who came to the capital, the most prestigious person was Essen, the son of the Oirat [a major division of the Mongols] leader.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”

Considering the distance between Joseon and Oirat, it hasn’t been that long since we last saw each other, but I was glad to see his face.

Even though the timing was a bit off, I benefited greatly from Oirat’s victory over the Ming Dynasty.

“Thank you for keeping your promise.”

“As a man, I cannot betray the other party who has even made a vow of Anda [a sworn brotherhood]. It was a natural thing.”

Essen said confidently.

I don’t really care about the vow of Anda.

Rather, I just thought it would be more profitable for them to take our side.

As I always say, international diplomacy is cold…!

“By the way, who is that woman?”

Essen, who is supposedly the Prince of Oirat, would not have come alone.

Of course, he brought a lot of attendants, but there was also someone who was clearly not a bodyguard.

The woman Essen brought was quite beautiful.

“She is my younger sister, Your Majesty.”

What?

“Why did you bring your sister?”

While I was muttering unconsciously, Essen said to Dani.

“Brother, I kept my promise to you!”

“Did the Crown Prince tell you to bring her?”

Marriage is a major event in human relations. Even if it’s a concubine, without telling the father?

When I asked with my eyes wide open, Dani looked embarrassed.

“Ahem, I have never directly requested it, Father.”

“What are you talking about? I still have a clear memory of you hearing about my sister and saying you wanted to meet her. Now we will truly be brothers.”

“That was a joke! How could I have really said that!”

I should have known when he changed the cover of the red book he received from An Gyeon and filled the bookshelf with them.

He brought her without telling me, but it doesn’t matter.

I have to say something because there are other people watching.

I can’t send her back in consideration of Oirat, who completely broke away from Ming and helped with this matter.

Opposition from officials?

That’s not a problem.

‘A barbarian concubine.’

There are many of them now.

* * *

The current Joseon is an internationalized country that cannot be compared not only to the Joseon of original history but also to the Goryeo Dynasty, the previous dynasty.

Jurchen and Japanese people walking around the capital are no longer uncommon, and in Byeongnando [a major port in Goryeo and Joseon], merchants from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe are a common sight.

As a result, the demand for language schools is explosively increasing year by year.

There were many Joseon people who wanted to learn foreign languages, but there were also many foreigners who settled in Joseon and wanted to learn the Joseon language.

It is very desirable for Joseon’s language education know-how to be accumulated in this way.

However, the foreigners who came in as Dani’s concubines could not enter the language school.

‘First of all, she’s a woman.’

Even if the relatively free spirit of the late Goryeo Dynasty still remains, the palace is a different story.

Even the King is not so free to go outside the palace – of course, I ignore everything and go out – how much more so would a concubine be.

Originally, this kind of problem is entrusted to the women’s association, but there are no significant foreign language personnel here either.

So, a teacher brought from the language school is setting up a screen and providing education.

On the other side, nearly ten concubines were lined up.

They were gathered here and there for political reasons, and before I knew it, they reached that number.

If you include Joseon concubines, the number would be about twice that.

‘He seems to have a good life.’

However, if I show off that I’m jealous, Ju So-hwa will slap my arm, so I didn’t say anything.

“Your Majesty. Or should I call you Taewang now?”

“Call me as before. That’s more comfortable for me too.”

If I had paid attention to the titles one by one, I would have had to change all the etiquette of the vassal states.

However, I didn’t feel the need to do that yet.

There’s not much that’s changed except for the titles I’ve put on externally.

“Then I’ll speak comfortably too. When do you think a great-grandson will be born?”

“Before I had the Crown Prince, you were nagging me about when I would show you a grandson, and now it’s a great-grandson?”

‘I’m not even forty years old yet, and you’re telling me to be a grandfather?’

Well, that’s normal in this era.

When I was in modern times, it would be fortunate if I got married and had children at my age.

“The common people pray to your painting when they want to have a child, but the royal family news is not good.

What is the Crown Prince doing with so many concubines?”

“I told him to take care of the Crown Princess first as much as possible.”

The Joseon people’s autonomy (?) has increased thanks to my pregnancy cycle method.

However, if you turn it over, it is also possible to prevent pregnancy by adjusting the date of the union through this.

I made the Crown Prince take in many concubines for various reasons, so if the Crown Princess has the first son, wouldn’t she feel more comfortable?

‘There’s no father-in-law who cares so delicately like this.’

I don’t particularly want to whip Dani.

Children are given by heaven, so even if I say something, he will only get stressed.

Given the characteristics of Joseon society, that arrow will all go back to the daughter-in-law.

However, Yi Bang-won sighed, covering his forehead.

“Your mother wanted to see a great-grandson before she died…”

“Ah.”

You’re poking at a sore spot.