There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 74

Inside a room where not a single ray of light penetrated.

Men were huddled together, unconscious.

“Hey, hey, Brother Song. Wake up.”

At the sound of someone grabbing and shaking him, Song Heung opened his eyes.

“Where… where am I?”

Song Heung didn’t know because he had lost consciousness and collapsed, but the censors [officials responsible for monitoring the bureaucracy] should have been wide awake.

However, they couldn’t answer either.

“I don’t know. They just dragged us here and locked us all in this room together.”

Song Heung almost burst out with curses and a violent reaction, unable to accept the sudden change in situation, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it… I’ll never forgive that old fox Hwang Hee…”

The muttering from the corner reached his ears.

It seemed they had been hearing it long before he woke up, as the censors looked at that direction with uneasy expressions.

Suddenly, the murky voice stopped, and the room abruptly lit up.

“Hick!”

The censors instinctively huddled together.

A faint smell of oil spread, as if a lamp had been lit.

Song Heung, who had been shielding his eyes from the light, was shocked to see the person squatting in front of him.

“You!”

Song Heung knew him.

It was Yi Suk-beon, who had been demoted for being arrogant and greedy and dragged under the Crown Prince.

However, his face was somehow very different from what he remembered.

It was as if his soul had left his body and returned.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Song Heung rebuked.

Yi Suk-beon staggered to his feet and said.

“Esteemed censors, welcome to the East Palace Training Center. From now on, you will be undergoing ‘Saga Reading’.”

Song Heung’s mind went blank at Yi Suk-beon’s words.

It was completely different from the concept of Saga Reading he knew.

‘What kind of Saga Reading is this in the world!’

Saga Reading literally meant reading books at one’s own home. It was a system to grant young civil officials leave to improve their learning.

But to lock them all in this small room and say they would be conducting Saga Reading.

“Stop talking nonsense and let us out!”

“We’ll learn the system in other ways!”

“Once you enter this place, you cannot leave without His Highness’s command. Therefore, I cannot grant your request.”

Yi Suk-beon then laughed like a madman.

“That old fox Hwang Hee, he put me in a place like this because I didn’t want to do it? I’ll get you someday…”

Such words were also included.

Yi Suk-beon, who had been muttering to himself, looked at the officials and said.

“Now, let’s all pick up a pencil.”

The censors, including Song Heung, were overwhelmed by Yi Suk-beon’s force and picked up the pencils with unfamiliar hands.

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has issued a strict order that the censors should use pencils to conduct Saga Reading more efficiently, as it has been proven that the pencil study method is helpful.”

The censors swallowed hard.

Yi Suk-beon placed a pile of books in front of them.

Not only the Four Books and Five Classics [Confucian texts] but also the Rites of Zhou, the Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial, the Spring and Autumn Annals, and so on. There was no end to the types of books.

“Now, from now on, we will have time to transcribe the scriptures with pencils. The period is… until you memorize everything without missing a single line.”

Song Heung would rather faint again.

===

“If I’m going to Hamgyeong Province, I’ll have to take my personal attendants with me, right?”

My close attendants had changed several times in the meantime.

Originally, I had many things to do, traveling around Hanyang and other places, and sometimes I worked until late at night, so most of them couldn’t endure it.

‘Noh Bun was good to have by my side in that respect.’

Originally, eunuchs worked in shifts, but Noh Bun stayed by my side without paying attention to such things.

Now, if I want to move to Hanyang or another place, I have to bring several eunuchs to take turns, which is really annoying.

That’s why I brought Noh Bun out of the Military Supplies Depot.

“Y-Your Highness. Why did you call this humble one?”

Noh Bun said that, but his eyes were already gleaming with hope.

‘This guy is already counting his chickens before they hatch.’

I patted Noh Bun on the shoulder and said.

“I heard you’ve been doing a great job in the Military Supplies Depot lately.”

“It’s only natural since I’m a full-fledged man.”

No, not a full-fledged man.

A full-fledged man means a young and energetic ‘man’.

Wouldn’t it be difficult to call Noh Bun that?

‘There’s no one else who’s easy to take around besides this guy.’

That’s what I thought.

‘Should I let him go?’

“I’m thinking of going to the Northeast Frontier this time. Would you like to be my close attendant?”

“T-The Northeast Frontier, you say?”

It was obvious that he was reluctant because he thought it would be difficult.

But Noh Bun wouldn’t be able to refuse.

“Never mind, then.”

“I-I will, Your Highness! Please entrust it to this humble one!”

If he didn’t take this opportunity, he would have to stay stuck in the Military Supplies Depot doing hard labor, so how could he refuse?

I smiled and patted Noh Bun on the shoulder.

“Then go change your clothes right away and rush to the East Palace.”

I’ll go see my father in the meantime.

===

I was able to listen to my father and his ministers’ meetings in the Throne Hall from time to time.

This was also something that Yi Bang-won ordered under the guise of studying.

This time was the same.

“A memorial has been submitted to postpone the opening of the markets in Gyeongwon and Gyeongseong. What is the reason for this?”

Then Ha Ryun stepped forward and said.

“Your Majesty made a bold decision to open the markets, but it is feared that problems will arise if the Jurchens [a Tungistic people who lived in Northeast Asia] come and go while the public sentiment in the Northeast Frontier is still unsettled.”

The Revolt of Jo Sa-ui.

Due to that chaos and its aftermath, the ties between the Joseon royal family and Hamgyeong Province were almost severed.

And it would be completely severed after Yi Seong-gye died.

“Will the wavering public sentiment be resolved just by the passage of time? How should we appease them?”

I watched the reactions of the ministers with a keen expression.

When the majority of opinions were to strictly enforce the law and thoroughly control the entry of foreigners even if the markets were opened to soothe the public sentiment, Jo Jun, the Prince of Pyeongyang, stepped forward.

“No matter how firmly we establish the dignity of the country, it will be difficult to soothe the unrest in the outer regions.”

“Then what should we do?”

Yi Bang-won frowned and asked.

“It would be good to let them know that our royal family has not forgotten the Northeast. It would be best if Your Majesty made a tour to soothe them in person, but…”

It would be difficult to leave the capital.

Instead, Jo Jun suggested a method that would be even more effective.

“The name of the Grand Royal Ancestor is highly respected not only among the people of the Northeast but also among the Jurchens, so if he goes, many people will welcome him with open arms.”

Jo Jun said.

He was the closest person to Yi Seong-gye among the people remaining in the court.

Perhaps that’s why he didn’t gain much real power even after surviving the Princes’ Rebellion.

‘Grandfather must have moved Jo Jun.’

Yi Seong-gye still had that much power left.

Up to this point, Yi Bang-won would have allowed it, even if he had some anxiety.

But the Grand Royal Ancestor can’t go alone. I have to go with him.

That’s what I said.

“If possible, I would like to accompany you to the Northeast Frontier.”

“You?”

Yi Bang-won’s gaze was fixed on me, as if saying, ‘How can I send a young child like you to such a faraway place?’

“Wouldn’t the effect be maximized if I, the Crown Prince, went with the Grand Royal Ancestor?”

The ministers swallowed and rolled their eyes.

They were probably checking whether this was a pre-arranged agreement with Yi Bang-won or not.

“What do the officials think?”

I looked at the ministers and asked.

They were silent.

‘Do you feel the difference in status?’

Heh heh.

Were they moved by my spirit of sacrifice to go directly to Hamgyeong Province and soothe the public sentiment?

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is the kind of person who always does what he says he will do, so who can stop him?”

“If you interfere, you’ll only get on his bad side.”

I didn’t hear the whispers from behind.

While there were some people who passively agreed like this, there were also people who actively encouraged it.

They were mainly the officials of the Hanyang Construction Bureau, which I was in charge of.

“That’s right, Your Majesty. If the Crown Prince makes a tour of Hamgyeong Province, the public sentiment in the Northeast will naturally stabilize.”

Hwang Hee said that.

“That’s right. We will take care of the work of the Hanyang Construction Bureau, so please, Your Highness, devote yourself to soothing the Northeast with peace of mind.”

Meng Sa-seong also continued.

‘……?’

At first, I thought they were trying to help me, but somehow their intentions seem suspicious.

I’m grateful, but are they trying to play around while I’m gone?

I glared at them.

Hwang Hee and Meng Sa-seong subtly avoided my eyes.

That’s right, that’s right.

“How can we recklessly send His Highness, who is no different from a pillar of this country, to a foreign land…?”

Heo Jo said that, but he had no choice but to stop speaking due to the countless fingers poking at his side.

“Ahem.”

Yi Bang-won said that as if he was not very pleased.

“I was greatly concerned about sending the Crown Prince to Geumju for the first time, so how can I send him all the way to Hamgyeong Province?”

He’s saying something like, ‘It’s dangerous outside the palace.’

Among the Joseon kings who have been around so far, is there anyone who was born and raised in the palace?

Not only Yi Seong-gye and Yi Bang-won but also our three brothers were all born outside the palace.

Yi Bang-won’s worries continued until we withdrew among ourselves.

“Just let me go. I come and go to Hanyang, you know.”

“What if something happens?”

“How many sons do you have? You can just build a new one.”

There are three legitimate sons and an illegitimate son born to Concubine Kim.

So even if an unfortunate event occurs, there are enough people to replace me, right?

Yi Bang-won beat his chest.

“You rascal, you always have to say things like that.”

Then Yi Bang-won stroked my head and said.

“That’s not the issue. I’m sincerely worried about you. It’s already autumn this year, and winter comes early to the Northeast Frontier.

Besides, how can I send you to a place with fierce barbarians?”

Yi Seong-gye, who was listening from the side, shouted.

“I had six sons in that Northeast Frontier, and they all grew up perfectly fine. Isn’t that right for you too?”

“Isn’t it different for us than it was for Your Majesty and the Crown Prince?”

“Don’t worry. Even if I die, I’ll protect this guy. Are you satisfied?”

Yi Seong-gye shouted at Yi Bang-won like that.

“Can’t you grant this father’s wish? I need to show your grandfather what the Crown Prince looks like. To tell him that this guy is Bang-won’s son.”

Yi Seong-gye even shed tears.

Come to think of it, the tombs of Yi Seong-gye’s ancestors were all in the Northeast Frontier.

It seems that the tomb of King Hwan, Yi Ja-chun, is also there.

Yi Bang-won’s expression changed subtly at his grandfather’s words.

“Alright. Then take him with you. But take one battalion of the Training Command with you.”

He was telling him to take the troops that Jo Young-moo was training in Hanyang.

‘Yes!’

Yi Seong-gye and I clapped hands secretly under the table.

‘Your tearful acting was amazing. You’re still the best, Grandfather.’

I whispered to Yi Seong-gye.

‘You rascal, if you talk like that, won’t I look like a guy who’s always crying?’

‘Isn’t that the case?’

I asked back in bewilderment.

I’ve seen it several times myself.

‘Not at all. I thoroughly calculate and control everything. You have to use these things sparingly to make them shine. Everyone knows me as an invincible general and a monarch, but if I burst into tears like this, it’s very effective.’

‘I see! You’re still the best general in the Northeast Frontier.’

I flattered him.

I should never pay attention to my grandfather even if he cries in the future.

‘Well, I didn’t pay attention in the first place, though.’

Yi Seong-gye laughed heartily as if he was in a good mood.

Thus, our grandfather and grandson’s outing to the Northeast Frontier was decided.

However, there was something unsettling in one corner of my heart.

‘Hmm, I feel like I’ve forgotten something.’

If I forgot something, it must not be a big deal.

===

“The Grand Royal Ancestor is going to the Northeast Frontier…?”

Yi Bang-gwa asked, receiving the news a step late.

It was partly because he had been staying out of sight since he had behaved disgracefully at the courtesan house, but there was no one who cared enough to let him know this kind of news.

Even so, if the purpose was to comfort the public sentiment in the Northeast Frontier, shouldn’t they have called him, the former king and a native of Hamgyeong Province?

“I want to go home too…”

Yi Bang-gwa scratched the ground gloomily.

End

ⓒ Pitkong