There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 450

Side Story – In Search of the Eastern Sea Empire (2)

451. Side Story – In Search of the Eastern Sea Empire (2)

Despite Yi Hwan’s shock at the family’s inherent madness, preparations proceeded smoothly.

Following Nam-i and the Ju brothers, Gi-jin and Gi-ok, Aisin Gioro Toimo joined the group.

As the grandson of Muntamu and the second son of Chungsan, he had once served as Simwang Sifu (瀋王師傅) [Tutor to the Prince of Simwang], but he hadn’t achieved much success due to Yi Hwan’s lack of interest in studying, much like his father.

In any case, like other Jurchens, he possessed both literary and martial skills, which is why he joined this endeavor.

“Why did your surname change after all this time?”

Changing everything except one’s wife and children was the national policy of the Supreme Emperor Yi Je, but who knew they would even change their surname.

The Dong clan, which they had used since their ancestors, was a Han Chinese surname influenced by China, and their Jurchen surname was Hyeopon (夾溫). So, where did this Aisin Gioro (愛新覺羅) surname come from?

There was a reason for this as well.

“Aisin means gold (金) in Jurchen, so it signifies that we are continuing the legacy of the Great Jin.”

“Oh… is this also because of the Jin History incorporation movement?”

Following Yi Man-ju’s petition to revise the Dongguk Saryak [Comprehensive Mirror of the Eastern Kingdom, a Korean history book].

A movement was underway to establish a shrine to enshrine the Jin dynasty, following the ten shrines such as Sunguijeon, Sungdeokjeon, and Sungnyeoljeon established by his father, Yi Je, and to jointly enshrine Emperor Taizu, Emperor Taizong, and Emperor Sejong of Jin in the Royal Ancestral Shrine in Hanseong.

Even so, to change one’s surname for that reason…

Yi Hwan clicked his tongue.

“My older brother Tolo and younger brother Sibeochi Piyanggū have also changed their surnames. I also prefer this one to the old surname.”

In fact, Yi Hwan didn’t care whether they changed their surname to Aisin Gioro or Abbey Road.

“I will be going this time as an envoy to the Eastern Sea nations. Sifu, please serve as the vice-envoy.”

In reality, it didn’t completely align with what Yi Hwan had hoped for.

The imperial order was not to annex the eastern part of America into Joseon’s territory, but to comfort the vassal states and the barbarians on the frontier.

Since they didn’t have the capacity to develop that far yet, that much would be enough.

Of course, Emperor Yi Dan’s personal judgment also played a role in this.

‘Is it okay to send him?’

It wasn’t because of the threat of rebellion. His brother wouldn’t be crazy enough to become a barbarian chieftain instead of living a wealthy and comfortable life in Hanseong.

So, under normal circumstances, he would have coolly told him to do whatever he wanted, but his second younger sister was the problem.

“If Father and Mother were alive, would they have sent our youngest to pacify that distant foreign land?”

Even Yi Dan himself (in his own way) felt a heavy sense of responsibility as the eldest member of the family.

‘Then, wouldn’t it be enough to just send him as an envoy?’

Since he would obviously just go there, erect a few boundary markers, collect some tribute from the chieftains, and return, it would be better to take this opportunity to manage the newly established vassal states in the New World.

Thus, the compromise that Yi Dan came up with was the dispatch of Yi Hwan as an imperial envoy.

===

What is the current state of the Eastern Sea, that is, North and South America?

If Yi Je, who first ordered the exploration of the New World, had been asked which side had more potential, he would have naturally answered the North American side, where the modern United States is located.

However, the civilization that has flourished more is, strictly speaking, the Central and South American region.

The Aztecs, who first came into contact with Joseon, were almost on the verge of destruction due to guns, germs, and steel, but the countries beyond them, thanks to a buffering effect and Joseon realizing what was happening, were fortunately able to continue their glorious existence.

No, not only did they continue the existence of their countries, but they were also able to advance to a more advanced stage due to Joseon’s influence.

The country that could be said to have benefited in this way was the Inca Empire in the south, which they themselves called Tawantinsuyu [The Four Regions].

Unlike the Western conquistadors who came to find India and engaged in plunder and robbery in the wrong place, Joseon’s exploration team had set out with the aim of conquering this Eastern Sea land from the beginning.

Under the heavens, there is no land that is not the king’s land (普天之下 莫非王土) [All land under heaven belongs to the Emperor],

Shouldn’t all this land personally found by the Supreme Emperor also belong to the Emperor of Joseon?

In other words, spreading the King’s grace and scattering it on this land was an even more important duty of the exploration team.

For this reason, even after occupying the silver mines of Zacatecas and Guanajuato, Jeonghwa did not focus on exploiting them but went further down, and finally came into contact with the great South American power, the Inca.

The current king of the Inca is the famous Pachacuti.

If Yi Je heard his name, it would be fortunate if he didn’t mistake it for a coffee franchise, but in fact, this Pachacuti was a brilliant ruler who transformed the small Inca state into an empire.

He was the one who ushered in the three generations (三代) [Three reigns] of prosperity (盛世) [Golden age] that continued with his son Tupac Inca Yupanqui and grandson Huayna Capac.

For this reason, when Pachacuti first encountered Jeonghwa, and even when Joseon’s pioneers and soldiers flocked in, he did not recklessly confront Joseon but assessed the opponent’s strength and made a grand decision.

That is, he decided to submit to Joseon and become a tributary state.

Pachacuti had no idea about the East Asian tributary system, but he roughly grasped what it meant.

Because he was doing something similar in the various regions he had conquered.

Joseon also decided to focus on teaching and spreading the King’s grace rather than destroying the newly formed loyal vassal state.

That doesn’t mean they didn’t receive gold and silver as tribute. Originally, gold and silver were long-standing tribute items.

Instead, Joseon provided the Inca with what they needed most.

“This is the essence (精血) [Lifeblood] of the dragon horse that our Emperor received from the heavens. If you possess this, epidemics will naturally avoid you.”

There is nothing more precious than life in the world.

Although there are many exceptions, the principle of tributary trade, which is to return several times more than what is received as tribute, was strictly observed here.

Still, they didn’t threaten with guns and swords, and since they prevented the country from being ruined by smallpox anyway, the relationship between Joseon and the Inca was very friendly.

The same was true when Simwang Yi Hwan and his party arrived near the capital, Cusco.

Pachacuti decided to come down to the coast himself for Yi Hwan and his party, who would obviously have a hard time just climbing up to the city located in a high altitude, and who were clearly not accustomed to the high mountains.

“This is the Tawan country. In the words of the Eastern Sea people, it is the Four Quarters Country (四方之國) [Referring to the Inca Empire’s name, Tawantinsuyu]. The King of Tawan has personally come out to greet Your Highness.”

“Hmm, he’s quite the courteous person.”

He was an angel (天使) [Imperial Envoy] carrying the Joseon Emperor’s edict, and his status was also that of a Prince of Great Joseon.

The rank itself was equal to or higher than that of the King of Tawan, who was a feudal lord, but still, the other party was the ruler (國主) [Monarch] of a country.

For Pachacuti, it was because he couldn’t bear the consequences if someone died from altitude sickness, but Yi Hwan felt it was an extremely polite attitude.

“That’s right. This King Pacha (波車) [Referring to Pachacuti] is a wise man who quickly submitted and embraced etiquette and culture, and because he governs with benevolence, he is truly worthy of being called the Eastern Sea Empire.”

As he listened to Pachacuti’s high reputation, his favor towards him continued to grow.

“Welcome. I and Tawantinsuyu welcome the family of the Joseon Emperor, the son of heaven!”

However, Pachacuti’s attire, whom he actually met, was very strange.

Clearly, he was wearing an Ikseongwan (翼善冠) [Crown] according to the Joseon-style attire bestowed by Emperor Yi Dan, but there were strange feathers stuck in it.

These were the feathers of the caracara bird, one of the characteristics of the traditional crown, the Maskapaycha.

He was wearing a Gonryongpo [Robe] made of Suzhou silk, but its shape was closer to a short tunic.

Clearly, the Gonbok [Formal attire] and Sangbok [Everyday attire] bestowed by the Emperor would have been the same shape as those used in Joseon, but perhaps the local people had cut them to fit their traditional clothing.

Toimo frowned at the fact that they had remodeled it in their own style rather than respecting strict etiquette, even doing so with the Emperor’s gift, but Yi Hwan liked that freedom.

There was something else that Toimo didn’t like.

“Your Highness, these people worship the king as the son of the sun (日輪) [Solar deity], which is truly a vain statement. This is because they do not properly understand orthodox learning from top to bottom, so Your Highness must strive to spread the King’s grace.”

The Inca Crown Prince Tupac Inca was dumbfounded to hear these people, who had just been calling their own monarch the son of heaven [天子] [Son of Heaven, the Emperor], say such things.

However, since he didn’t want to offend Joseon’s sensibilities, he calmly replied.

“If the foolish people do not believe that our royal family is the son of the sun, how will they follow us with their hearts? This is our unique custom and belief.”

“Our Emperor, who has inherited the imperial fortune (帝運) [Imperial destiny] according to the mandate of heaven (天命) [Mandate of Heaven], has already appointed the King of Tawan, which is all in accordance with bright discernment and the way of heaven. The Crown Prince must not listen to, let alone forbid, the deceptive words that confuse the public.”

In other words, why are you trying to connect with the sun when you already have headquarters approval?

Just as Tupac Inca’s mood was about to sour at the presumptuous remarks of the Confucian warrior, Yi Hwan quickly intervened.

‘Why are you ruining this good atmosphere all of a sudden?’

In his view, the talk of the son of the sun was only for internal use and was not even written in the national letter.

Frankly speaking, he didn’t care what they were doing in the Inca.

Unless he was someone like Toimo, who wanted to become the second Seomunpyo [A legendary official known for eradicating superstitious practices], who uprooted shamans and miscellaneous gods, and leave his name in history.

Yi Hwan unpacked the gift package instead of his ignorant subordinate.

“Come on, I brought a gift. I gave it to the King of Tawan, but this is a gift solely for the Crown Prince.”

Even before Yi Hwan could explain in detail, Tupac Inca knew what it was.

The biggest reason why the Inca decided to submit to Joseon, the miraculous medicine of Joseon that was even more amazing than madu [A type of medicinal alcohol].

It was biyak [A type of medicinal pill].

Tupac Inca’s Mohua ideology [Admiration for Chinese culture] and loyalty as the crown prince of a vassal state soared as if he had never been upset.

“Thank you so much, Your Highness!”

Tupac Inca shouted at Yi Hwan.

“I have prepared a grand banquet in case something like this happens. Let’s go in! Shouldn’t we enjoy it together?”

Even though his brother had many concubines, most of them were women brought in for political reasons.

However, Simwang Yi Hwan was a man who enjoyed women as much as his brother, even though he didn’t need to.

He did not refuse.

===

The next day, Yi Hwan, who woke up late, looked for a hangover cure because his stomach was burning.

It seemed like he had drunk too much yesterday. In many ways.

Then, a maid brought something as if she had been waiting.

‘It doesn’t seem like water, is it tea?’

However, Yi Hwan didn’t bother to explore its identity.

When Yi Hwan naturally put his arm around the maid’s waist and poured the liquid into his throat.

Lightning struck behind his head.

‘This is?’

One of his father’s great inventions is Hyeonju [A type of distilled liquor].

A tingling sensation and a refreshing feeling that fills the mouth.

On top of that, it had a sweet taste, so anyone living in this era couldn’t help but open their eyes wide.

However, this liquid didn’t tingle like Hyeonju, but the subtle astringent taste was subtly addictive.

Not only that, but he felt his blood circulate and his strength rise, as if he had drunk ginseng tea.

Just as a dragon with painted eyes soared into the sky, lightning struck in his head as well.

“What’s this called?”

The maid naturally didn’t understand Joseon language, but when Yi Hwan pointed at the glass and spoke, she could roughly understand what he was asking.

She said briefly.

“Coca.”

“Coca?”

There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]

There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]

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Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
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[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?

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