There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 44

“Hwang Eom’s demands are excessive.”

Yi Bang-won narrowed his eyes as he spoke.

“The Prince of Yan isn’t usually so unreasonable.”

Yi Bang-won had already met the Yongle Emperor [the third emperor of the Ming dynasty] on his way to and from Ming China.

“It seems Hwang Eom is making such demands to solidify his position internally.

Now that the Prince of Yan has ascended to the throne, the existing Prince of Yan faction and Jianwen Emperor’s [the second emperor of the Ming dynasty] officials must be struggling against each other behind the scenes.”

As expected of someone who had launched a coup himself, Yi Bang-won accurately grasped the atmosphere of the Ming court.

He meant that Hwang Eom was trying to gain merit using Joseon as a stepping stone before things settled down.

I gritted my teeth at Yi Bang-won’s words.

‘In the end, they’re just trying to exploit this country, aren’t they?’

“We can’t just let someone like that go. Besides, there are treacherous subjects within the court who are echoing the envoy’s sentiments.”

“Are you referring to those who informed the envoy about the existence of the matchlock guns?”

Hwang Eom’s knowledge of the matchlock guns meant that there were those who had passed on information to him.

We should take this opportunity to eliminate the source of trouble completely.

‘We can have different opinions on matters, but this is practically an act of treason, isn’t it?’

I gnashed my teeth.

‘How could they collude with Ming China, of all countries?’

“But how should we proceed, now that they’ve already noticed the existence of the matchlock guns and requested a demonstration?”

“It’s an opportunity, rather.”

I said, my eyes gleaming.

“Think about it. Is Hwang Eom knowledgeable about military matters?”

“Not really.”

“Then, has he ever seen a real matchlock gun?”

Since it hasn’t even entered the commercialization stage yet, even those who leaked information about the matchlock guns wouldn’t have been able to obtain a real one.

No matter how well they’ve heard it explained, it’s difficult to understand the structure of a matchlock gun without seeing it.

If that’s the case…

“I’ll prepare everything without a hitch, so all you have to do is watch, Father.”

“You seem to have a trick up your sleeve?”

Yi Bang-won asked, his face brightening, and I nodded slightly.

The two of us, father and son, exchanged a wicked smile.

===

However, this required considerable preparation.

My father and I had to keep the envoy Hwang Eom occupied in the meantime.

So many banquet dishes were prepared because the envoy was coming.

“We’ve prepared to the best of our ability, but I’m afraid Joseon’s meager resources might detract from the dignity of your great nation.”

“Well, isn’t this the best Joseon can prepare? Sincerity is always what matters. The great nation is magnanimous, haha!”

‘That guy would have nitpicked at everything if we had only shown sincerity.’

I was dumbfounded by Hwang Eom’s nonsense, but Yi Bang-won, like a slippery eel, didn’t show it at all.

Yi Bang-won was humoring Hwang Eom appropriately, even when he acted rudely.

‘As expected of Yi Bang-won. He’s really my father.’

It’s always best to appease the Ming envoy until the matter is settled.

Hwang Eom repeatedly emptied his glass and soon became quite drunk.

Then, as if trying to prove his loyalty to the Yongle Emperor in front of us, he repeatedly praised the emperor.

If only that were all…

“Your Majesty also has dignity, but our Emperor is truly a heaven-sent being. Our Emperor’s power now covers the four seas, and he is simply incomparable to ordinary people.”

‘Why are you comparing him to others?’

“Haha. I am merely the king of a small country, and the Emperor is the master of the world, so how dare I compare myself?”

I was furious at the words that seemed to subtly belittle my father, but Yi Bang-won smiled and waved his hand.

Seeing that, the officials who were attending the banquet murmured quietly.

‘Ooh.’

‘Truly, our King.’

He didn’t fall for the envoy’s petty provocation and remained patient for the sake of his goal.

I nodded my head, inwardly impressed by Yi Bang-won’s magnanimity.

Hwang Eom, who had been boasting about his country and the Yongle Emperor, finally seemed to realize his mistake and opened his mouth.

“Haha, not only the Emperor but also our Great Ming has countless great figures, but Joseon has been the land where Gija [a legendary figure credited with bringing civilization to Korea] descended for thousands of years, so it is also a civilized country in its own right.

I’ve heard that the Crown Prince here is also praised for his intelligence. If you dedicate yourself more to studying, you will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the scholars of the great nation.”

It was obvious that it was just lip service thrown out after boasting too much about himself, but it was definitely better than the nonsense he had been spouting earlier.

However, Yi Bang-won’s expression completely hardened.

“What did you say?”

‘?!’

‘Why is he reacting like this?’

I muttered in bewilderment.

My father, who had smiled even when compared to the Yongle Emperor, suddenly changed his attitude after hearing those words.

“Father.”

I grabbed Yi Bang-won’s sleeve and spoke.

Fortunately, the envoy’s face was already flushed, so he didn’t realize the situation in time.

When I poked him in the side, Yi Bang-won finally withdrew his unpleasant reaction.

“I’m not feeling well. It would be best to end today’s banquet here.”

“Yes, it seems the envoy has also had too much to drink, so that would be for the best.”

I chimed in, and the banquet ended in an awkward atmosphere.

Yi Bang-won returned to the palace, still unable to hide his displeasure.

“Why are you being like this?”

What the envoy said was arrogant, but it was a compliment in its own way. Why is he acting like this?

Then, Yi Bang-won said, fuming.

“To think that my son would be compared to those Ming officials! How dare a eunuch with no balls insult me like that!”

“Huh.”

“Crown Prince, we must give that bastard a good thrashing this time. Is everything prepared properly?”

“Of course.”

Although the mechanism that makes him angry is a bit strange, Yi Bang-won’s desire for revenge has also reached its peak.

It was time to reel in the sucker.

===

“The preparation of the matchlock guns is truly late. I’m tired of waiting.”

Hwang Eom grumbled.

He’s been enjoying banquets and sightseeing all this time; how long has he been waiting?

“We needed a large quantity to demonstrate to the envoy, so we were in the middle of manufacturing them.”

“Joseon is a small country, so it seems it takes a long time to prepare even a dozen or so weapons.”

There is already a quantity of matchlock guns produced, but that’s not what we’re going to show this time.

I let Hwang Eom think as he pleased.

The place where we would demonstrate the ‘matchlock guns’ was the very place where I first demonstrated the matchlock guns in front of Yi Seong-gye [King Taejo, the founder of Joseon] and Yi Bang-won.

A vacant lot near the palace.

Our soldiers were lined up in a row, holding weapons in their hands.

Hwang Eom was slightly impressed by the sight, which looked quite formidable.

“Oho!”

But it was too early to be surprised.

I shouted into the megaphone.

“Load!”

At my command, the soldiers simultaneously poured gunpowder into the chamber and began to tamp it down with a rod.

Then, they put clay into the chamber and tamped it down as well. This was to prevent gas from escaping during the explosion.

Next, they put a dozen or so small bullets in and tamped down the soil again.

Then, they grabbed the wooden handle attached to the end of the bronze barrel and aimed at the target.

Soon, the lit fuse burned out, and an explosion occurred.

– Pow pow pow!

Numerous small bullets poured out from the inside, sweeping away the target.

It was buckshot.

Due to differences in the length of the fuse and the loading time, the firing continued with a time difference.

The Ming envoys, including Hwang Eom, were shocked by the sight of the target being torn to shreds by the continuous explosions.

“I-Is this what you call a matchlock gun?”

“Yes, it is.”

I said triumphantly.

However, those who had seen the matchlock gun demonstrated up close seemed slightly puzzled.

‘Well, it’s actually a Seungja Chongtong [a type of Korean cannon], though.’

The Seungja Chongtong that Choi Hae-san unintentionally created was being recycled on this occasion.

Did they think we would obediently comply with their demand to see the matchlock guns?

‘The Seungja Chongtong is a bit better in terms of performance than the matchlock gun.’

I heard that Ming China also has hand cannons.

However, the buckshot that the Seungja Chongtong fired all at once, along with the strong explosion caused by the gunpowder I had improved, and the continuous firing with a time difference, only blinded their eyes.

Seeing the target torn to shreds by the Seungja Chongtong’s volley, Hwang Eom repeatedly exclaimed in admiration.

‘Well, it seems like he’s completely fallen for it.’

No matter how much the Seungja Chongtong is the final evolution of the hand cannon, it doesn’t match the utility of the matchlock gun.

History proves that.

However, Hwang Eom was not a man of military expertise enough to realize that.

“Oooooh!”

Hwang Eom clapped his hands excitedly.

The other envoys were the same.

“I really didn’t know that the matchlock gun was such a great weapon. I didn’t know that Joseon, a small country, could create such a weapon.”

Yi Bang-won smiled as Hwang Eom made a fuss.

“Does the great nation not have such a weapon?”

“There is something similar called a long barrel gun, but it doesn’t have this much power.”

Hwang Eom said, still unable to close his mouth properly.

“Haha, it seems that even the great nation can’t do everything.”

It wasn’t even a real matchlock gun, but just a Seungja Chongtong, and they’re reacting this much.

Yi Bang-won’s subtle mockery seemed to reach even here.

“Envoy, Envoy.”

The envoy next to Hwang Eom awakened the dazed Hwang Eom.

Only then did Hwang Eom come to his senses and asked sternly.

“Why didn’t His Majesty, the King of Joseon, inform the great nation even after creating such a weapon?”

‘Does national secrets have to be reported to Ming China one by one?’

I was furious at Hwang Eom’s nonsense, but from the beginning, Zhu Yuanzhang [the Hongwu Emperor, founder of the Ming Dynasty], who founded the Ming Dynasty, was said to have been wary of Joseon.

“Haha, it’s just that it’s still in the testing phase, so we haven’t reported it to the Emperor yet.”

Yi Bang-won denied it like that.

Hwang Eom said with an even more suspicious look.

“You didn’t have any intention of hiding the development of this matchlock gun from the Great Ming, did you?”

“Of course not. Our Joseon only serves Ming China with all our heart and has no other intentions whatsoever. We are even willing to offer this matchlock gun if the great nation requests it.”

‘You’re trying to subtly subjugate even the Jurchens, so what were you planning when you created something like this and hid it?’ must have been the question that was rising to his throat.

However, thanks to Yi Bang-won slipping away like a loach, Hwang Eom did not point that out.

He was probably just calculating how to take all of this from Joseon and bring it to Ming China.

Because it’s an opportunity to gain merit.

I shouted to Yi Bang-won.

“Father, manufacturing matchlock guns is not an easy task. No matter how great the nation is…”

“Hush, Crown Prince, do you not know the etiquette of serving the great? If there is such a powerful weapon, it is the law of serving the great to present it, even if it is difficult.”

As I brought it up, Yi Bang-won quickly caught on.

“However, matchlock guns are made of bronze, so it costs a lot of money… If we even consider the tribute to the Emperor, the country’s finances will not be able to handle it.”

“Hmm…”

As Yi Bang-won pretended to be troubled, Hwang Eom became anxious.

He said urgently.

“Ahem, I have already received some discretion from the Emperor regarding the tribute. If you are willing to offer the matchlock guns, we can sufficiently adjust the tribute issue.”

Yi Bang-won and I looked at each other and smiled.

The father-son con team is on the move.

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