There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 6

“If you truly possess the qualities of a king, then persuade me of your royal path!”

His fervent outburst left me speechless.

Out of the blue?

“Do you think you can shoulder the burden of a nation if you cannot even answer this? Speak quickly!”

Frankly, I doubt Yi Seong-gye [founder and first king of the Joseon dynasty] had much of a vision himself when asking that.

Ah, so that’s why he got usurped.

But I couldn’t evade this question.

It was a question I had been pondering ever since I fell into this era.

‘Should I yield the throne as history dictates?’

Even though I had merged with the mind of the bratty Grand Prince Yangnyeong, perhaps thanks to my longer experience as a modern person, I didn’t inherit his unruly nature.

So, if I just avoid causing trouble, I should smoothly ascend to the throne in place of Sejong.

I was the eldest legitimate son of Taejong, whom no one could fault.

‘But that alone isn’t enough.’

The reason I must replace Sejong.

The answer was simple.

‘It’s more convenient.’

If I become king, I can mobilize all the resources of this country and directly establish national policies to lead development.

Isn’t that enough?

‘It’s uncertain whether I can replicate Sejong’s achievements, but it’s certain that Sejong cannot do what I can do.’

If things don’t work out, I can always promote my younger brother.

Yes, that was the only reason I wanted to become king.

The thrill of changing the world.

That was enough.

After a 30-second mental marathon, I asked with a weighty tone,

“What do you believe people live for?”

“They live by eating, of course.”

Yi Seong-gye replied instantly.

A fine answer from a military man who doesn’t engage in philosophical musings.

‘Good.’

I prepared to unleash a barrage of famous quotes and opened my mouth.

“Indeed. The interest of all the people lies in food. If the king regards the people as heaven,”

“Are you trying to say, ‘The king regards the people as heaven, and the people regard food as heaven’? I know that from Sambong [Jeong Do-jeon, a prominent scholar and politician], It’s from Guan Zhong [Chinese philosopher]. Don’t you have anything fresher?”

“Uh.”

Wasn’t that something King Sejong said?

I was showing off, assuming it was a saying that didn’t exist in this era, and my face flushed.

‘Damn it, this complicates things a bit.’

The plan to establish dominance by starting with a famous quote was thwarted.

I stammered in embarrassment.

“Th-then, where does that food come from?”

“From the land, of course. That’s why we implemented the Gwajeon Law [land allocation system] to prevent the monopolization of land and distribute it to the people.”

“Ah, yes.”

It seems he expected me to say something about changing the system to enrich the country.

But I don’t really know much about that.

‘That’s Jin-hyeok hyung’s specialty, not mine.’

“Laws and systems that benefit the people are important, of course. But I’d like to approach it from a different angle.”

“A different angle?”

“For instance, what if there was a device that allowed people to thresh rice without having to manually separate the grains, but simply by stepping on a pedal?”

I picked up a brush and sketched a rotating cylinder with various attachments.

Yi Seong-gye stared at the drawing and said,

“I don’t know much about it, but it would certainly reduce labor since the action itself becomes easier.”

“Then the labor required for each harvest would also decrease, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t there be surplus labor?”

“That’s right.”

“Then the remaining people could sew, weave straw shoes, or go to the market to sell goods during that time. Or they could cultivate abandoned farmland. Wouldn’t that enrich the overall economy? All thanks to this device.”

“Isn’t that too much of a leap?”

“But these ripple effects are real.”

I looked directly at Yi Seong-gye and said,

“So, you’re saying you’ll shoulder the burden of this country by creating just one of these things?”

“It’s not just this. There are countless other types of devices. If we create and distribute hundreds, thousands of devices that reduce human labor and produce goods more abundantly, how much benefit would there be?”

“Are you saying you can do that?”

“Yes.”

It’s something I’ve been doing like eating rice while rolling around in a newly established country for three years.

I can do it with my eyes closed.

Right now, I’m just a child and I don’t have anything-as far as I have-but the things I can do in the future are endless.

“A country where everyone wears silk clothes and eats rice with meat soup. That is the vision I present for this country.”

“Vision?”

“Ah, I made up the word using the characters ‘fly’ (飛) and ‘front’ (前). It means flying forward, or a direction.”

I said shamelessly.

But Yi Seong-gye scoffed.

“What a boast, a great boast. Even in the era of Yao and Shun [legendary sage kings of ancient China], such a thing did not exist. Bang-won [King Taejong’s given name] praised you endlessly as a prodigy, but in the end, it was just a child’s folly.”

Wrinkles formed on my forehead as Yi Seong-gye clicked his tongue as if he didn’t know reality.

‘What?’

Jin-hyeok hyung said that people in the old days looked to the past, not the future.

In the case of the East, they saw the era of Yao and Shun as an ideal.

But frankly, from my perspective, that far back reminds me only of primitive people making ‘ooga ooga’ sounds.

Comparing the era of Yao and Shun to 21st-century Korea? As someone who actually lived in an era where everyone eats rice and meat soup, I was furious.

‘Hey, have you even tried?’

“Who says it can’t be done?”

“I am a man who pierced through the chaos of the late Yuan Dynasty [Mongol-led dynasty of China] with a single bow. Do you think I would believe such nonsense after experiencing all kinds of hardships?”

“Times don’t cycle; they move forward. Even that bow that Great Grandfather boasts about will become obsolete in about two hundred years.”

At my bold declaration, Yi Seong-gye looked at me in disbelief this time.

“People have been using bows since they first appeared on this earth for thousands of years. There may be dynasties that rise and fall, but would bows ever disappear?”

They won’t really disappear and will become sports, but let’s just pretend.

Yi Seong-gye’s face showed subtle displeasure.

‘Is he very proud of his bow?’

I decided to poke at that point.

“No, it will definitely happen.”

“No, it won’t.”

“What if it does?”

“What if it doesn’t?”

“Do you want to bet on whether it will really happen or not?”

“Are you telling me to live for another two hundred years?”

“No, that can’t be a bet. I will create something that will make the bow obsolete with my own hands.”

Yi Seong-gye scoffed at my outrageous words.

“Soon? After you die?”

‘Ugh, seriously!’

Why is this person so childish?

I guess people become like children when they get old.

I should never become like that when I get old.

I thought for a moment and said,

“In about three months?”

“Oh dear, this old man doesn’t even know if he’ll be alive in three months, and his grandson is pressuring him!”

Yi Seong-gye was about to burst into tears again.

‘This old man really has a tiring personality.’

“In a month.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

“If it’s a bet, there must be a prize. What will you wager?”

“Let’s each grant each other one wish.”

Yi Seong-gye’s eyes gleamed again.

The bet seemed to be made.

===

“Hmph, audacious fellow.”

Yi Seong-gye couldn’t hide his displeasure.

“How much do you think I know about military affairs that you spout such nonsense?”

Yi Seong-gye, who was also the best archer in Joseon, recalled his grandson’s words that seemed to provoke him.

Times don’t cycle; they move forward.

It even read as a declaration that his era had passed.

Perhaps he was angrier because he vaguely felt it himself.

‘The bow that has been used since ancient times without records will disappear? I’d rather believe that Mount Tai [a sacred mountain in China] will collapse.’

Yi Seong-gye thought, unable to contain his anger.

But a trace of anxiety remained in his heart.

His grandson had given him his first defeat in his life, who had never known defeat.

Could those words really be just crazy talk?

===

“Damn it, I’m screwed.”

Why did I say such a thing?

Now that I’ve cooled down, it was a bet that would surprisingly bring me nothing.

‘I had guns in mind, but I wonder if I can develop them in a month.’

More than anything, what can I get out of Yi Seong-gye?

‘I should have just quietly knelt down and listened to his words of blessing.’

It started because I was overwhelmed when my grandfather poured out curses instead of blessings.

Should I just shut my mouth and pretend I don’t know?

How would they publicly talk about a bet between a grandfather and a grandson?

‘Yi Seong-gye backstabbed King Woo [last king of the Goryeo dynasty], so wouldn’t it be fair for him to get backstabbed this time?’

“Crown Prince!”

No-bun rushed over, panting, as I stepped away from Yi Seong-gye.

“What’s wrong?”

“His Majesty has decided on the land to be bestowed upon the Crown Prince. He commands you to enter the palace immediately.”

“Where is it?”

Please let it be golden land.

Isn’t real estate the best of all assets?

“He is bestowing land on Yeonghwa Island (仍火島).”

“Yeonghwa Island?”

Where is that again?

I’d rather not receive it if it’s some island in the middle of the ocean.

‘Surely Father wouldn’t give me such a place?’

“Do you know where Yeonghwa Island is?”

“Don’t you know? It’s the big island in the middle of the Daegang (大江) [Han River] when you go to Hanyang [old name for Seoul].”

There was a place that came to mind when I heard that.

Could it be.

“Yeouido?”

“Ah, yes. It is also called that.”

Yeouido entirely in my hands?

The center of Korean politics and economy, Yeouido?

===

“Those involved in the rebellion had land on Yeonghwa Island. Since it’s an island, livestock can’t run away, so I was thinking of making a ranch, but I thought it would be better to give it to you.”

That was Taejong’s words.

“If you don’t like it, I’ll give you other land. What do you think?”

“Ah, no, it’s great!”

Unlike the modern era, where it’s almost attached to the mainland, Yeouido in this era is a real island. That means it’s inconvenient to travel, but it’s still Seoul.

Besides, if I’m going to conduct research and development in the future, it’s better to have a place located near Hanyang but on an island.

‘Well, there’s no immediate use for the land.’

As far as I remember, the Joseon court will return to Hanyang in a few years.

Until then, I’ll just have to let it sit idle.

“Ah, and I heard you had an interesting conversation with the Grand King.”

“Yes? Yes······.”

Has the rumor already spread?

“You had an in-depth conversation about how military equipment (軍器) will change in the future? Seeing that the Grand King himself had such a conversation, it seems he acknowledged your insight.”

It’s quite different from the conversation I remember.

How did it get so distorted?

“Well, your talent is like a dragon, so anyone with eyes would know. So, wouldn’t a great general like the Grand King acknowledge it?”

“Ah, yes.”

“I know your talent. Since ancient times, great monarchs have also been knowledgeable in military affairs. Honing military equipment is something that should not be neglected, so how could it not be admirable?”

Lee Bang-won laughed heartily and said,

“Let Seungchu-bu’s Gyeongryeok Hwang Hee [government official] listen. The Crown Prince has gained insight from his conversation with the Grand King and will have a place to showcase a new military weapon, so we will have a place for the officials to watch together. Prepare without any setbacks.”

“I will obey your command, Your Majesty.”

“······.”

That old man.

That old man leaked the words. So that I can’t escape.

I gritted my teeth as I came out of Lee Bang-won’s presence.

“No-bun. I have 100 rolls of silk that I received last time, right?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I’ll have to unravel all of them. Let’s go to the Military Equipment Office (軍器監).”

Now that it’s come to this, I’ll win no matter what.

And I will flatten Yi Seong-gye’s nose.

End

ⓒ Pitkong