There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 435

436. The Retired Emperor, Ije (2)

Stone statues of past kings were erected on Baegundae Peak.

Some might click their tongues, calling it environmental destruction, but in this era, no one cared. Rather, the people cheered at the grandeur, proving Ije’s plan to create a historic tourist attraction was half successful.

Especially since it was on Bukhansan Mountain, a sacred mountain, and it wasn’t just one but four kings immortalized, it became a must-visit spot for those seeking divine favor. At one point, it became a chaotic scene of various shamanistic rituals and prayers, requiring the intervention of the authorities to regulate it so that only state-approved shamans could perform official ceremonies.

As Ije reminisced while looking around Bukhansan Mountain, the royal family members who accompanied the retired emperor’s procession also felt the grandeur of the scene.

Especially his grandsons, who were competing for the position of Crown Prince.

‘Isn’t there still room to carve one or two more spots?’

‘After Father, perhaps it could be me…?’

The three kings who laid the foundation for the dynasty and the retired emperor who achieved great accomplishments.

Imagining their faces carved in stone, eternally revered alongside the four kings of the dynasty’s founding, made their hearts flutter.

However, Imjon Prince, Igyu, who knew the purpose of this procession, knew that their ambitions were nothing more than pipe dreams.

‘Foolish fellows.’

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand his brothers’ feelings.

Among the men who inherited the blood of the great retired emperor, how many hadn’t dreamed of sitting on the throne?

Looking at it, no one had waited longer under the persimmon tree with their mouths open than him, the eldest grandson. [Waiting for a persimmon to fall into one’s mouth is a Korean idiom for expecting something to happen without effort.]

However, the position of Crown Prince, which once seemed within reach, had once again drifted away, and his newly enthroned father’s attitude was strange.

The gaze directed at him still contained the affection of a father, but he couldn’t bear it.

Previously, as much as his father cherished him, his eyes also held a hint of assessing his abilities.

It was burdensome, but on the other hand, it was very encouraging.

At least it meant he was on the shortlist for the successor. And very close.

However, the problem was that his father’s relationship with the Empress Jeong, his legal mother, had grown closer, and his attitude towards him had become distant, merely looking at him as a cute son.

‘It’s all because of that Western sorcerer!’

Igyu didn’t know the inside story well, but he agreed with the surrounding speculations.

It couldn’t be seen any other way in his eyes.

At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he became a useless outcast.

It didn’t just mean being pushed out of the throne.

Those who had taken care of him had praised him as the original grandson since he was young, so as long as there were those who remembered that fact, wouldn’t there inevitably be a price to pay?

In the meantime, his father’s order fueled his anxiety even more.

‘Imjon Prince, the retired emperor is leaving for a procession, shouldn’t you, as the eldest grandson, accompany him?’

He, who had never left the imperial city of Hanyang since birth, how could he assist his grandfather, who traveled the north like his own home?

But he couldn’t refuse his father’s order.

‘Yes, I will do so. However, I will need someone to assist me with lodging in unfamiliar places, so may I take Jeon Gyun with me?’

‘Hmm….’

Idan stroked his chin and trailed off.

Igyu flinched at the subtle attitude.

‘There are eunuchs serving the retired emperor, is there really a need to take him?’

The ominous imagination became reality.

Not long after leaving Hanyang.

The news came that Jeon Gyun, who had been emboldened after the Crown Prince’s ascension, had his head flattened by Nobun’s blow, who remained in the palace, instead of being buried alive with the retired emperor. [Being buried alive with the emperor was a custom to ensure the emperor had company in the afterlife.]

His father was clearly pruning his limbs first.

Would there be a place for him to stand after returning from this procession?

Igyu ran his hand over his face.

Now, he wanted to at least guarantee his life, let alone the throne.

* * *

“Your Majesty!”

“Your Imperial Majesty!”

“Welcome to your hometown, the Northeast Region!”

“Ahem, I’m the retired emperor now.”

And my hometown is Hanyang. Nothing you said is right.

Until I crossed Cheolryeong Pass and reached Hamheung, the welcoming processions for the imperial carriage were endless.

The people of the Northeast, who poured out along the way, cheered for the imperial carriage.

My grandsons are now making the same dumbfounded expression I made when I saw the people of the Northeast looking for General Yi Seong-gye.

There was no rush, so it seemed like I was driving the imperial carriage north very leisurely, but somehow I arrived in Hamgyeong Province, my destination, in no time.

Everyone in Joseon knows that I pay special attention to road maintenance.

If they don’t, they’re Yonggung spies instigated by Seondeokje. [Yonggung refers to the Dragon Palace, often associated with mythical sea kingdoms.]

The road, which used to be a well-maintained dirt road when heading north, had long been meticulously paved with cement and concrete.

The streets of Hamheung were paved entirely with bricks, and well-dressed people, carriages, and rickshaws were constantly passing by, making it easy to see the city’s wealth.

This is also thanks to the economic Hokage, Ije’s majesty. [Hokage is a reference to the leader in the Naruto anime series, implying Ije is a leader in economics.]

In particular, the sight of people with braided hair was quite noticeable.

The governor of Hamheung bowed and answered my question.

“South of Cheolryeong, Hanyang may be the best, but north of that, there is no city like Hamheung. Jurchens who cannot study in Hanyang come to Hamheung to seek learning.”

Looking at it, people are only gathered in front of comic book cafes, billiard halls, and Takkyu arenas. Are they really here to learn?

“……Aren’t those all part of studying Joseon culture?”

It’s amazing that such entertainment facilities are set up even in Hamheung, and arc lights, which were once only found in the capital, can be found quite often.

If Hanyang-Gyoha-Gaeseong-Byeokrando are considered the metropolitan area, then outside the metropolitan area, only Pyongyang and Dongnae can be compared to the prosperity of Hamheung.

I think I’ve kept my promise with our old man enough.

“Isn’t the prosperity of the Northeast Region truly amazing, Your Majesty?”

The one who asked that was Choi Heung-rip, who came out carried on his son’s back after hearing the news of my arrival.

He was the relative on Yi Seong-gye’s mother’s side.

‘This guy, is he still alive?’

Well, I haven’t heard any news of his death yet.

So, instead of asking a living person about their life or death, I changed the subject.

“I didn’t know it would develop this much.”

“The Biak produced in this town is sold far away to the Western Regions along the Biak Road that Your Majesty created. Nowadays, in the Northeast Region, it is said that even dogs carry Joseon banknotes in their mouths.”

Choi Heung-rip closed his eyes tightly and said.

“When Taejo first brought the young Majesty here, I was half in doubt.

But today’s prosperity is all created by Your Majesty. Just as Taejo protected this land with military force and brought a peaceful life to the people, we have received Your Majesty’s grace even more.”

“It’s not that much.”

I feel a little embarrassed to be praised like this by someone I’ve known for a long time.

The Northeast Region is also my land, and the people who live here are also my people, so it was also part of balanced national development.

“The people of the Northeast Region are very proud that this place is the root of the imperial family. If the imperial family faces a crisis, this place will rise up before anywhere else.”

“Well… that’s not something I achieved.”

“No, if the retired emperor hadn’t been there, that pride would have disappeared like a bubble.”

The old man, old and old, put his head on the floor and paid his respects.

“As a person from Hamheung, and as a Joseon citizen, I offer my loyalty and gratitude.”

In a history where I didn’t intervene, how would Yi Seong-gye’s hometown have been treated?

Perhaps one side would have treated it as a rebellious region, and the other side would have completely forgotten the pride that the royal family arose from here as a reaction to that.

The official ‘root’ recognized by the royal family is Jeonju, the clan’s origin, even more so.

The people here were also vaguely aware of that fact.

When I was lost in emotion, Choi Heung-rip suddenly opened his mouth.

“However…….”

Choi Heung-rip lowered his voice.

“I was surprised to hear that Your Majesty suddenly abdicated. The local leaders were even holding meetings all night. If it was instigated by treacherous subjects, then immediately……”

Choi Heung-rip said with a determined expression.

I jumped up at the attitude that they would immediately send out messages and revolt if I gave the order.

“I abdicated to the Crown Prince willingly! If I don’t pass the throne to that guy, who else would I give it to?”

Look at my innocent eyes. Do they look like the eyes of someone who was kicked out and holds a grudge?

“As soon as you stepped down, you came to the Northeast as your first tour……. There has already been a precedent.”

I’m going crazy.

If Choi Heung-rip is saying this, it means that the entire Northeast Region is subtly harboring such suspicions.

Could it be that the grand welcome was held because they thought the retired emperor was running away in fear?

I had to work hard to dispel their misunderstanding.

‘If I say something wrong and a rebellion breaks out, what kind of comedy is this?’

If some random guy uses my name to turn the Northeast Region into a battlefield, I might die of shock from the absurdity.

I haven’t even filmed the slow life of a retired emperor yet, and if I die like that, I won’t be able to rest in peace because I’ll be so wronged.

Choi Heung-rip burst into hearty laughter at my words.

“Hahaha, as expected. The retired emperor is not someone who would fall for such a sinister scheme.”

Hmm, somehow it sounds like other people were likely to fall for a sinister scheme.

Anyway, after sweating a lot, I called all the Hamheung leaders and gave a speech on the theme that ‘I abdicated entirely of my own will, and Dani is my rightful successor.’

I have to do everything I can to fix things before my son complains to his father.

I’m living while being so aware of my son, so maybe the people of the Northeast Region are half right?

Or not.

* * *

It was long after leaving Hamheung and heading north that I heard the news of Choi Heung-rip’s death.

He passed away the day after I left Hamheung.

“……Tsk.”

I can’t get used to the fact that the people I know are leaving.

Especially Choi Heung-rip, along with Baek Dal-won and Iri Buka, was close to being one of my old retainers.

Well, even the ministers who are similar in age to me or younger are slowly showing signs of aging and illness.

I put aside my bitter feelings and headed to Guju, or rather, Yongcheon (龍泉), which has now changed its name.

Of course, it was named after Sanggyeong Yongcheonbu, the capital of Balhae.

As Joseon upgraded to an empire, the people of Guju wanted a more fundamental naming, so they changed it.

Yongcheon Fortress, which had crossed the Tumen River, had been completely torn down from its old fortress and transformed into a perfect city.

Yongcheon, which used to serve as a military base to control eastern Manchuria, had now become a thriving metropolis where agriculture and commerce were active.

“These days, the Jurchens are not like they used to be. They have completely mastered agriculture.”

Bulno, the chief monk of Gujusa Temple, the largest temple in Yongcheon, said with his hands clasped.

Originally, it was common for the emperor to stay at a temple in the neighborhood when he went on an outing.

I don’t really enjoy such nuisances, but now I can stay here without hesitation.

My money went into the Buddhist donations that Hyoryeong was collecting to build temples in Manchuria.

In other words, I might as well have built this temple.

If there is anyone who complains that the temple owner is staying at the temple, wouldn’t that person be a traitor?

“It is truly fortunate that agriculture is flourishing.”

It feels like yesterday that I was twisting my body to promote agriculture in Manchuria.

“It’s all thanks to this corn. It has a high yield and is not difficult to grow. I am actively encouraging everyone I meet these days to grow corn.”

He is so actively promoting crops from the New World.

I think I should make another donation before I leave.