There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 90

The Legend of the Blue Sea (2)

Sō Sadashige’s letter arrived in Dongnae with alarming speed.

Despite the secret agreement with Joseon, Yi Seong-gye and Yi Bang-gwa were shocked by the news.

“They went to Geoje?”

Why Geoje, of all places?

If they raided around Geoje and struck the coast of Tongyeong, the Crown Prince’s safety would be seriously jeopardized.

“Can the Crown Prince handle this…?”

Yi Seong-gye considered his grandson’s capabilities.

He had provided rigorous training, but the brutality of the Japanese pirates was legendary.

Moreover, this wasn’t a duel but a full-scale battle. The number of guards he’d sent separately was limited, causing worry to etch itself onto Yi Seong-gye’s face.

“It will be difficult.”

“Then…! Shouldn’t we inform Bang-won immediately…?”

Yi Bang-gwa, flustered, blurted out the suggestion, but Yi Seong-gye silenced him with a disapproving look, as if to say, ‘Have you lost your mind?’

“While we send messages back and forth to Gaeseong, the Japanese pirates will have circled the South Sea twice. What foolishness is that?”

Yi Seong-gye turned to the soldiers of the Training Command and barked, “Prepare the cavalry immediately!”

===

“Ugh!”

I clutched my head.

I had theoretical knowledge of shellfish cultivation methods, fueling grand plans, but the reality was proving much harder.

First, the process of selecting superior seedlings was a major hurdle.

I knew about pearl oysters from modern times, but choosing the best specimens was proving difficult.

“Shouldn’t we prioritize those with good color and plump flesh?”

“No, we’re not aiming for shellfish meat right now. We need to select the ones that grow quickly and lay many eggs.”

“…How can we tell that?”

“You have to figure it out from now on.”

Why didn’t the people who made a living catching shellfish know this?

I wanted to ask them the same question.

“Will a few months be enough?”

“We, we will try our best.”

Right. I wasn’t expecting immediate results anyway.

I just needed to establish a solid method and patiently cultivate the industry over several years.

“It won’t happen overnight, so let’s just lay the groundwork and move on.”

I also taught them how to insert foreign substances like shell fragments to stimulate pearl production.

Gradually, I was moving towards Geoje Island, searching for a wintering location I remembered from modern times.

‘I think it was around here.’

The modern place names from the documentary and the names used in this era weren’t identical, so I had to rely on recognizing the terrain from the video.

Fortunately, I found the place relatively quickly.

“Oh, Crown Prince! Why visit such a rural area?”

The magistrate of Geoje bowed so deeply his head nearly touched the ground.

“The damage from Japanese pirates has been severe this year, so I came with the King’s blessing to soothe public sentiment. More importantly, I want to buy this stretch of coastline.”

The area I pointed to was near Dojangpo beach in southern Geoje.

In this era, it was just a small fishing village without any significant facilities.

“Ah, it’s your Highness’s order, so use it as you wish. You’re doing great things; how could I not cooperate, hehe.”

‘How does he know I’m doing great things?’

This is the power of influence.

The magistrate was practically offering me his life.

He wouldn’t object even if I launched a fleet of ships and started playing around.

Still, I needed to take precautions to avoid rumors and prevent trouble for the fishermen.

“How are the people here faring?”

“They’re just scraping by. While some towns have prospered from fishing, the people in this village haven’t had such luck.”

“Oh, how can the people of this good-natured village live so poorly?

I will ask my father to greatly promote fishing in this area and ensure generous wages to improve their lives.”

“Re, really?”

The people gathered in the government office overheard this and repeatedly expressed their gratitude.

They had feared losing their homes, but now the Crown Prince was offering them work.

Even with the Crown Prince’s visit and pronouncements, the people were ready to celebrate.

I gently stopped them.

‘The feast here can’t compare to the royal meals I receive in Gaeseong. It would only burden these people.’

I simply asked them to prepare a modest table.

The people were even more touched.

‘Ugh, but eating is still a chore.’

I forced down the rice that No-bun brought, thinking that.

To be honest, it was a meager meal, consisting of a few fish.

Rice mixed with barley, soy sauce, and a few side dishes.

There was fish, but no meat, which was frustrating.

But I couldn’t complain about it.

Then No-bun opened the door and brought something in.

“I brought seaweed, thinking you might be picky about the villagers’ food.”

That’s right, he’s quick-witted.

But what kind of seaweed?

When I received the side dish from No-bun, it looked familiar.

‘This is seaweed.’

A side dish that self-reliant students know all too well.

Seaweed was right in front of me.

I was reminded of my days as a self-reliant student, eating meals with spam, eggs, and seaweed.

Wrapping warm rice with seaweed and dipping it in soy sauce made the simple meal palatable.

Right, with just this seaweed, I could finish a meal in a flash.

In the Joseon Dynasty, it was quite expensive and hard to come by, so I hadn’t seen it often.

‘Ah!’

Then a lightning bolt struck my head.

‘I was thinking about cultivating shellfish, but I forgot about this.’

In this era, seaweed was also a seafood with very high added value.

‘And the cultivation difficulty is low.’

I remembered a story from a junior in the military who had run a fishing farm for generations.

In the old days of the Japanese colonial era, they installed large bamboo screens to grow seaweed.

‘Let’s finish eating and think about it.’

I was quickly stuffing rice into my mouth when…

The outside became very noisy.

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll go find out.”

When I asked, No-bun tilted his head and left the room.

However, before he could even leave the government office, the magistrate rushed into the room.

“Crown, Crown Prince!”

“What’s going on?”

I frowned and asked, annoyed by the magistrate’s urgent and rude demeanor.

“The, there are many ships on the coast!”

No way, already?

Were they the Jurchen pirates I had contacted?

‘No. I contacted them before going down to Dongnae and arranged for them to go to Tsushima Island, so there’s no way they’d come to Geoje, which is to the east.’

Then could it be?

I threw down the spoon and jumped up.

“Japanese pirates, Japanese pirates!”

“Quickly evacuate the village!”

A commotion was already erupting outside.

The people of the South Sea had suffered greatly from Japanese pirates, so they were reacting immediately.

I thought they would take some time to start their raids.

Why were they looting so soon after the new year?

“Your Highness!”

As I looked outside, No-bun hurriedly grabbed me.

“Get off the island quickly!”

“What about the ship?”

“There’s a small ship down below! You must leave this place quickly!”

“Wait.”

The Japanese pirates would enter through the main port, and even if there were ships elsewhere, there would only be a few.

That meant I couldn’t take all the soldiers of the Training Command with me.

The same went for the people of Geoje.

“Are you telling me to run away alone?”

“Isn’t your Highness’s safety the most important thing?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I barely calmed my pounding heart.

After all, the Training Command soldiers were there to protect me.

The people of Geoje had been dealing with these attacks from time to time, so they would evacuate on their own.

If I were caught or killed by the Japanese pirates, it would be a major disaster.

If I thought rationally, I should prioritize my safety, as No-bun said.

But…

“Your Highness!”

While being carried on No-bun’s back, I suddenly forced myself down.

‘No, no.’

I shook my head.

I came with the purpose of comforting the public sentiment in Gyeongsang Province.

Even if that was just an excuse for other things, it was the reason those people cheered for me.

But if I ran away, saving only myself in a crisis, where would their faith be rewarded?

‘Damn it.’

I had decided to become a king, and I was choosing to run away while enjoying the expectations and benefits.

I shouted at No-bun.

“The troops of the Training Command are elite. It’s their first time in actual combat, but they are the troops raised directly by the King!”

In reality, Jo Young-moo played a bigger role.

“And the Japanese pirates are skilled at pursuit, so there’s a high chance of being captured while running away alone on a ship. In that case, it’s better to be with our soldiers!”

This was a slightly more rational reason.

I shouted at the magistrate of Geoje, who was following me and running away.

“Magistrate!”

“How many soldiers are there in Geoje?”

“Th, there are about a hundred men.”

The magistrate stopped abruptly and answered.

“Then go back to the village, gather the soldiers, and evacuate the people!”

“Yes?”

I was annoyed by the magistrate’s clueless question.

I strode up to him and kicked him hard in the shin.

“Ugh!”

“Where do people usually evacuate to in times like this?”

“Th, they run to the mountains. Naebong Mountain is in the back, so it’s best to go there first…”

“Do the Japanese pirates usually retreat when people go into the mountains?”

“…Not necessarily.”

The magistrate’s answer was unsettling, but I had no choice.

“Anyway, good. Let’s go there with the people.”

General Ma Su said that if you are stationed in a high place and look down, the momentum is like splitting bamboo [an unstoppable force].

‘No, Ma Su lost.’

Anyway, that seemed like the best option for now.

The magistrate gathered people in a state of confusion.

The soldiers and people of the Training Command, who had gathered, were greatly surprised to see me return.

“Crown Prince, please run away quickly!”

“We’ll be fine!”

The soldiers of the Training Command shouted, but I drew my sword without answering.

“Can you see this tiger skin I’m wearing?”

It was just causing prickly heat for me, but the visual effect was amazing.

“I personally killed a tiger with this sword and obtained this skin! I am the grandson of the heroic King who saved the country and the son of the King!”

I looked at the people and shouted.

“I will not run away!”

When I shouted that, the soldiers and people looked at me with touched expressions.

Actually, I was just lucky to catch it, but I’m glad I could boost morale even like this.

My heart was pounding, and my hand holding the sword was sweaty, but I didn’t show it.

‘Surely I won’t die?’

And there were also the troops of the Training Command.

I’d somehow endure it.

‘Oh well, whatever.’

I turned around and sat on a hill with a good view of the terrain.

“Take this.”

“Yes? Why…”

When I held out the sword, No-bun asked blankly.

“Take the sword and ask for a musket, you idiot!”

Would I go out and swing a sword myself?

It’s a swordsmanship I’ve never used in actual combat.

‘I only said I caught a tiger with a sword, but I didn’t say I would fight with it.’

It’s all about winning.

===

Soda Saemontaro, who entered the port, began by setting fire to the houses.

“Haha, I always feel good when I come to Joseon.”

“That’s right. We can receive voluntary donations from Joseon people like this.”

It was said that Joseon people were grateful, and indeed they were.

They had so much neighborly love.

“Well, the ancient sages also said that we should help those in need.”

He had never read the Buddhist scriptures properly, and he had never studied Confucianism, but Buddha and Confucius would have said the same thing.

No, the ten million gods of Shinsu [Shinto deities] would all be thinking the same thing.

“But it’s such a poor neighborhood that there’s nothing to rob.”

“It seems they’ve been sitting in their houses all winter and have eaten all their food, and those that are left have been taken to the mountains.”

“Is that so?”

Saemontaro raised his eyebrows.

“Then let’s attack that side. If there aren’t enough goods, we have to make up for it with our bodies, right?”

There was always a demand for slaves.

If we captured dozens of people and Joseon protested, we could pretend to be generous and return a few, and if we sold the rest to the mainland, how would they find them?

The Japanese pirates led by Soda Saemontaro gradually moved inland.

A scout who entered a low mountain reported that Joseon people were indeed entrenched inside.

“Hahaha, you poor Joseon bastards! Is that all you have, wooden spears!”

The men in shabby white clothes were holding pointed wooden spears, and behind them, soldiers who looked quite sturdy were also holding steel and brown sticks.

Even the impoverished people of Tsushima always carried swords, but these Joseon people weren’t even properly armed.

Forgetting that they came to rob those poor people, Soda Saemontaro laughed at the sight.

“Show no mercy. Quickly attack and slaughter them!”

“Waaaaa!”

The Japanese pirates, wielding their Japanese swords in strange poses, rushed towards the mountain all at once.

They were about to break through that flimsy line and slaughter the soldiers.

At that moment.

– Bang!

The sky was clear, but the sound of lightning striking was heard, and the head of a subordinate who was rushing towards the mountain exploded.

“…?”

The people who were running were bewildered and stopped abruptly.

Blood gushed out of the corpse with a hole in its head.

But that was just the beginning.

End

ⓒ Pitkong

There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]

There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]

내 조선에 세종은 없다
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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