There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 453

454. Side Story – The Complex and Bizarre World of the Nine Provinces (1)

From a Beta worldline where the Ottomans are destroyed to an Alpha worldline where the Mamluks achieve a great victory!

Although the Mamluks succeeded in shifting the worldline due to the butterfly effect caused by a modern person, they were not particularly interested in seizing Constantinople.

The Mamluks’ base was, after all, Egypt.

Unlike the Ottomans, whose main territory was Anatolia, they didn’t see this area as a city of longing.

Moreover, nominally, this war was between the Mamluks and the Ottomans.

They had to leave a share for other countries that participated ‘purely out of loyalty for the alliance’.

It goes without saying that no one would be foolish enough to tell those who came with pure intentions to pack up and leave purely after the job was done.

If a friend helps with moving, you should at least treat them to *jajangmyeon* [black bean noodles] and *tangsuyuk* [sweet and sour pork]; if you shut your mouth and tell them to go home after they’ve worked hard, you deserve to be cut off.

After crunching the numbers, the Mamluks concluded that it would be more profitable to simply sell Constantinople to the Christians and settle the accounts.

So, what about the Joseon army, which was the first to break through the triple walls of Constantinople?

“Can… can we take this?”

“Wouldn’t that be too greedy?”

Of course, Joseon was not particularly impressed by explanations about Constantinople being the thousand-year-old capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Joseon already had Gyeongju, the thousand-year-old capital of Silla, in its own land.

Joseon was the greatest country in the world, and Silla was its predecessor, so there was no reason to cling to such a land.

No, in fact, Chang’an and Luoyang were now also in Joseon.

Such historical role-playing was best left to the Baekdal people [Korean nationalists] to enjoy.

The fact that it was a key point connecting East and West was a bit appealing, but it was too much of a stretch to directly rule a city on the other side of the world with no connection or vested interest.

Therefore, it was best for Joseon to also step back for a good price.

So, who’s next…?”

“Me! I will rule it!”

In the original history, Russia’s claim to Rome became concrete during the reign of Ivan III, the son of the blind King Vasily II.

Vasily II was killed by the Russian hardliners after performing the three bows and nine prostrations, and King Yi Gyu, the old king, succeeded him here as well.

Rather, Yi Gyu, as an outsider, needed such justification even more.

As the self-proclaimed protector of the Orthodox Church, shouting ‘We are all family,’ there was no greater achievement for him than the recovery of Constantinople.

For that reason, as soon as he read Joseon’s attitude of ‘It’s not a place we’re particularly interested in, but it would be nice to have a pro-Joseon regime if possible,’ he immediately entered the bidding.

“But Moscow is far from here, isn’t it?”

“What did those Rus’ do to claim that city?”

The current Russia, or rather, the Grand Duchy of Moscow, had not even escaped the yoke of the Tatars.

In fact, it could be said that the yoke was tightening even more. After all, Yi Gyu was a member of those Tatars.

He himself was aware of this and was promoting both local assimilation and national power, but Russia still needed a lot of time to ascend.

Even if he were to get his hands on this area, it was questionable whether he could properly govern it.

As he also hesitated, the Vatican, which desired the integration of the Eastern and Western Churches, and Venice, which wanted to extract proper concessions, stepped up.

They presented a reasonably rational plan.

“It is clear that neither side is interested in directly governing Constantinople, right?”

“That’s right.”

Yi Gyu had something to say, but he kept his mouth shut because he was not in a position to speak up yet.

“Then there is only one way.”

The Vatican and Venice brought out a powerful justification.

“Let’s revive the Greek Empire.”

Already, Andreas Palaiologos, the nephew of the last emperor of Rome, Constantine XI, had taken refuge in Rome.

He had not yet sold off his throne due to financial difficulties, so there was no major problem in enshrining him in terms of justification.

The Vatican made a similar judgment to when it sent his sister Sophia to Russia in the original history.

‘If we restore Andreas, he will help with church integration, right?’

Just as Sophia Palaiologos betrayed them in the original history, this was only a hopeful observation, but as Pope, there was no reason not to try it.

Thus, the Vatican sent Basilios Bessarion, a cardinal from Byzantium, to strongly advocate for Andreas’ restoration.

On the other hand, Venice had a more realistic position.

Anyway, Andreas Palaiologos had been broke for a long time, and even the vassals his father had led had scattered, leaving only one or two servants around him.

‘If we put such a pauper as a figurehead, wouldn’t there be a lot to exploit in various ways?’

Thus, the glorious Roman Empire was revived for the season… or whatever number it was.

The Mamluks also thought it was better for a small Byzantium to continue its existence than for a new country that could rival them like the Ottomans to enter Constantinople.

Joseon also had no particular objections.

From the beginning, the readjustment of the Suez cargo volume and usage conditions was a greater interest, so it didn’t matter how the problems in this area were handled.

Rather, Grand Scholar Yi Man-ju could praise Venice’s actions with a comfortable heart.

“As expected, the country of Venice is a wise country in the West, knowing the righteousness of seasonal existence and demise!”

He also did not fail to offer words of blessing, hoping that it would revive like the Han Dynasty, which had been ruined once by Wang Mang, and continue its ancestral shrines.

Of course, Andreas, who came from Rome, had no idea who Emperor Guangwu was, so he could only blink his eyes.

However, that friendly attitude left a deep impression on Andreas, who was only twenty years old.

With the Ottomans crushed, the Joseon-Mamluk-Venice alliance now dominated the Mediterranean.

Although the Eastern Roman Empire was revived, all that was left in his hands was a ruined city.

Even the young Andreas could not fail to see that clinging to their line was the shortcut to survival.

In particular, these three countries were tightly bound together over the core interests of Suez and East-West trade.

Andreas decided to pull on the strings of Joseon, the core country that made this Suez trade work, while being the furthest away.

If he could bring in Joseon, the other two countries would not dare to covet his national structure, considering their relationship with Joseon.

Considering the long distance, there would be less concern about the infringement of sovereignty than with the countries around him.

Although Joseon was a pagan country, Joan of Arc, who had once again built up her brilliant military achievements in this war, had originally defected to Joseon, hadn’t she?

Since his grandfather had also paid tribute to the Ottomans, there was nothing to hesitate about.

“I would like to send an envoy to Hanseong [Seoul].”

“You have thought well! Our Emperor is a fair and just ruler and does not drive away those who come under his wing. He will surely ennoble Your Highness as the King of Rome and praise you.”

Following the dispatch of a tribute envoy to Hanseong, Andreas also married his sister Sophia to King Yi Gyu.

Russia was the closest relative of the Joseon imperial family, and an Orthodox ally who could request support in case of emergency, wasn’t it?

Yi Gyu, who had already married and lost a local noble’s daughter as his wife, had no reason to refuse.

‘Now that we’ve mixed blood, if I get rid of that bastard, could I become the Emperor of the Romans?’

Yi Gyu momentarily had such thoughts, but remembering his grandfather’s last words that had been passed down to distant Moscow, he didn’t want to create unnecessary trouble.

“I will firmly support my brother-in-law. Do not worry.”

Andreas then subtly glossed over the Vatican’s demands for the integration of the Eastern and Western Churches, taking advantage of the gap left by the death of Basilios Bessarion, the person in charge of practical affairs.

At the same time, he neutralized the opposition from the West by sharing interests with Venice, who could pose a real threat, and the same was true for the Mamluks.

The Eastern Roman Empire continued its precarious existence in this way.

===

Meanwhile, while Yi Man-ju was in charge of the cleanup, Joan of Arc, who had captured Constantinople and announced the glorious resurrection of the Holy Virgin, began to prepare to return to France.

“Are you really going back to your homeland?”

Yi Man-ju asked with a regretful expression.

“The King here is uneasy about the ruined city and has asked some of our Joseon troops to stay and protect it for the time being. If you were to take charge of this, how reassuring would that be?”

Joan of Arc said with a faint smile.

“Didn’t you, Grand Scholar, also mention returning to one’s roots? I also feel that I have repaid all the grace of the Joseon Emperor with this war, so it is time to return.”

Joan of Arc was firm.

Even if Yi Man-ju were to block her, she wouldn’t break through like Guan Yu beheading the gatekeepers at the Five Passes [a famous scene from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms], but her determination was similar.

Knowing that he couldn’t stop her, Yi Man-ju held Joan of Arc’s hand tightly and said.

“When a general achieves merit, the King cannot sleep soundly. You have already been suspected by the monarch once, so please take care of yourself.”

“Life and death are all in the Lord’s will, so I am not worried. Above all, the King of my homeland has already passed away, and I hear that his son has succeeded him, so there will be no danger like in the past.”

Charles VII, who coldly turned away when Joan of Arc was captured, was not an entirely cold-hearted figure towards her.

In the original history, he also worked to restore her honor after Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.

From the perspective of Joan of Arc, who was not a Buddhist but was subjected to self-immolation, it was like a prescription after death, but it was better than not doing it at all.

The reason why Charles VII had no choice but to get rid of Joan of Arc was ultimately due to differences in the Hundred Years’ War and her military prestige.

The same was true here.

After Joan of Arc went to Joseon, Charles VII, who thought she had left for a place she could never return to, praised Joan of Arc’s achievements without hesitation.

The same was true for Louis XI, who succeeded Charles VII.

Joan of Arc had heard stories about Louis XI being very friendly to her, and she finally decided to return home.

However, what precedes such personal favor is the political issue.

“I heard that negotiations with the treacherous English are continuing in my homeland. Until all the English are driven back to the island, mere agreements will not exert any power… I have no choice but to return to my homeland.”

Yi Man-ju looked at Joan of Arc, who still couldn’t give up her desire to return to France, and said worriedly.

“Our Taejo [King Taejo, founder of Joseon Dynasty] also endured the time of King Wu and Choi Young, and they drove him to his death. In fact, they made Taejo unable to avoid the revolution. How can it be only in our country that Ongchi receives a reward and Jeong Gong is killed?” [Historical figures who received unfair treatment].

If King Wu and Choi Young had heard this, they would have grabbed their necks and died twice, but Joan of Arc, who had endlessly heard stories about the dynastic revolution while in Joseon, nodded silently.

“You may also face such a crisis, so I hope you will act wisely.”

“Thank you for your concern. I wish you a safe journey, Grand Scholar.”