< Episode 4: Who Do You Think Father Is? (2) >
Though there was small confusion due to an unexpected object grab, the first birthday celebration continued.
"Hahaha!"
"My lord! Have a drink!"
"My lord, you too!"
Those attending the feast laughed as they passed wine cups back and forth, continuing their enjoyable time.
"Your nephew looks so clever, truly wonderful!"
At the Crown Prince's praise, Grand Prince Chungnyeong responded with a smile.
"My wife says that whenever he hears me reading books, he laughs."
"Hahaha! Father and son are truly both brilliant talents!"
"Seeing an outstanding child is also all great fortune. Chungnyeong, congratulations."
"Thank you, Older Brother."
While compliments were exchanged between the brothers, Hyang was held in the Crown Prince's arms. This had been the case since he touched the Crown Prince's earring. Continuing to be held in the Crown Prince's arms, Hyang indulged in his own reverie.
'Anyway, regarding Hangul that will be created, it's good to subtly plant seeds of interest beforehand. If it comes out in the middle period rather than late in the reign, my range of activities can expand. After that, I'll work on firearms...'
As Hyang was forming his plans alone, sudden drowsiness swept over him, and he grumbled inwardly.
'Ah, this trash-tier stamina! With stamina this terrible, no wonder I went straight to the grave after completing the three-year mourning period!'
Not realizing that his body was now that of a child who had just passed his first birthday, Hyang was grumbling away when a subtle discord began to develop at the seat where the Crown Prince and his brothers were gathered.
The first birthday feast was gradually drawing to a close. The feast attendees were shifting in their seats, but were only watching the Crown Prince who sat at the highest seat.
"Would it not be best for you gentlemen to return now? Don't you need to attend court early tomorrow as well?"
"Shouldn't Your Highness the Crown Prince also return to the palace?"
"I need to speak a bit more with my brothers. You all go ahead."
"Then..."
At the Crown Prince's dismissal order, the feast attendees began to take their leave one by one, offering their farewells.
* * *
"It feels rather stifling."
Once the guests—even Hyang's maternal grandparents—had all departed and there were no watching eyes, perhaps due to the heat from the alcohol, the Crown Prince undid his coat's ties. When he undid the ties of his coat and even the ties of the inner jacket, Chungnyeong immediately stepped forward to stop him.
"Older Brother, please adjust your attire properly."
"What is the problem? A person should be comfortable."
"Older Brother is the Foundation of the State (國本). You must not forget this point."
"Hoo~."
At Chungnyeong's restraint, the Crown Prince let out a sigh full of drunkenness and then adjusted his attire properly.
Seeing the Crown Prince following his words, Chungnyeong lowered his head and expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you for listening to this foolish younger brother's words, Older Brother."
Pouring wine into his cup, the Crown Prince spoke toward Chungnyeong.
"Chungnyeong."
"Yes, Older Brother."
"I said this to Her Majesty the Queen Mother. Chungnyeong, you are not an ordinary person. At that age, your academic achievements are already beyond what ordinary people attain, is it not so? This foolish older brother cannot even fathom your level."
"You praise me too much. It is simply that Older Brother has not kept close to the classics. If Older Brother were to apply himself a little, you would quickly surpass this foolish younger brother's humble achievements."
At Chungnyeong's answer, the Crown Prince laughed loudly as if in a good mood.
"Hahaha! Chungnyeong, so you too have the talent for flattery!"
"It is not flattery. If Older Brother were to keep a bit closer to the classics..."
"Chungnyeong, do you also advocate for rule by virtue (德治) and the King's Way politics (王道政治)?"
"Is that not the right path (正道)?"
The Crown Prince shook his head at Chungnyeong's answer.
"That is merely an ideal (理想鄕). Our Joseon too, and that Ming country too, are now in the era of the Way of the Hegemon (霸道). When I ascend to the throne, I will recover the lost territories of the old Three Han (三韓) and make this Joseon into a Greater Joseon."
"Older Brother!"
Though the startled Chungnyeong gave warning, the Crown Prince was full of confidence.
"Do not worry. When I ascend to the throne, I will surely accomplish the great undertaking."
At the Crown Prince's confident words, Chungnyeong continued to raise objections.
"Older Brother, it is unreasonable! Ming is a great power! With Joseon's current national strength, it is certain defeat (必敗)! You must not forget why His Majesty the Founding King had to turn back his army at Wihwado, why Father had to execute Sambong Jeong Do-jeon!"
"Are you a prince of Ming!"
"No! I am saying it is unreasonable with Joseon's current capabilities! Capabilities must be built up!"
At Chungnyeong's pointing out, the Crown Prince lightly raised his right hand and answered.
"Ah, ah. I know that point too. I also have no intention of launching the great undertaking immediately. I am thinking of 10 years as a preparation period."
"10 years is too short!"
"10 years is sufficient! The brilliant generals like Gira-seong (綺羅星) who were with Zhu Yuanzhang have almost all disappeared due to Zhu Yuanzhang's purges and old age (老患), and even the generals who remained have all disappeared due to the civil war waged by the current Emperor, Yongle. And the generals that the current Emperor Yongle raised have also disappeared due to civil wars and conquests. Therefore! I say again, 10 years is sufficient!"
Perhaps frustrated by the Crown Prince's answer, Chungnyeong suddenly sprang up from his seat.
"Ah, come on! Older Brother! Do you have thoughts or not? After Yongle ascended to the throne, have you forgotten how many troops he mobilized to subjugate the remnants of Yuan? A whopping 500,000, 500,000! And the subjugation didn't happen just once. Each time they conducted subjugation, at least thousands, at most tens of thousands died or were injured and suffered losses, yet they kept filling up 500,000 tightly and proceeding with subjugation! Mobilizing troops like that is frightening, but even more terrifying is the administrative system and supply system that made such mobilization possible! But what about our Joseon? The household census (戶口調査) hasn't even been done properly yet, and the land survey (量田) project hasn't even started! And you say 10 years is enough? Wake up from your dream!"
"You brat! One year for land survey, one year for households is sufficient! And considering Father's age, by the time I inherit the throne and 10 years pass, those so-called brilliant Ming generals will all have disappeared too!"
"Did you not even think that the mid-level officers who accumulated experience through subjugation campaigns will fill the positions of those old veterans? Considering the point when even they step back, 30 years are needed! And that's only assuming Ming's next emperor doesn't wage war!"
Before long, the Crown Prince and Chungnyeong, who had both sprung up from their seats, continued their verbal battle while creating a dangerous atmosphere just short of grabbing each other by the collars.
As soon as the atmosphere turned dangerous, Hyoryeong, who had quickly retreated while holding Hyang, sighed and emptied his tea cup.
"Huu~. They say blood can't be denied... As if anyone could say they're not a military commander's (武將) sons..."
Amid Hyoryeong's grumbling, the Crown Prince and Chungnyeong's verbal battle reached its final stage.
"Once the military is reorganized, the first things to handle are the private soldiers (私兵) and the Japanese pirates (倭寇)! We need to firmly secure our rear first!"
"Private soldiers have already been handled by Father! The Japanese pirates have been quiet lately too! The ones who are still causing trouble and are as headache-inducing as the Japanese pirates are the Jurchens! If you think of the future, the Jurchens need to be sorted out first!"
"So did the private soldiers disappear? I'm telling you private soldier handling and Japanese pirates come first!"
"Shut up! I am the Crown Prince! I acknowledge you're smart! But the one who will inherit the next throne is not you, it's me! You just need to help me!"
"..."
At the Crown Prince's sharp shout (一喝), Chungnyeong clenched his teeth and glared at the Crown Prince.
Meanwhile, Hyang, who was held in Hyoryeong's arms watching the situation, had his eyes round open as he examined Chungnyeong's face.
Having confirmed the subtle flow of emotion on Chungnyeong's face, Hyang broke out in a cold sweat inwardly.
'This guy, he didn't become king by being pushed into it?'
In his previous life, the generally known theory was this:
—Chungnyeong became king because Yangnyeong's conduct was a mess, and Hyoryeong was deeply immersed in Buddhism (佛道), so Chungnyeong had no choice but to become king, and this was actually 'a masterstroke of god.'
This subtle expression of Chungnyeong's was a shock to Hyang who held such common knowledge.
In Hyang's head as he looked at Chungnyeong's face, the OST of a certain famous historical drama seemed to play.
'Damn! Was this not a fusion historical drama but a traditional historical drama! Surely a butterfly effect where history twists just because I reincarnated isn't happening, right?'
His worries were mountain-high, but Hyang's body, which had just turned one, could not overcome the fatigue. Forcing strength to keep his eyes open which kept trying to close, Hyang grumbled.
'Argh! This damned body! Trash-tier stamina!'
Though Hyang didn't know, the competition between Yangnyeong and Chungnyeong was gradually rising to the surface.
* * *
Two months after Hyang's first birthday feast, in December. (Though Hyang didn't know), Chungnyeong visited Namje's house together with several people.
As the gathering continued, Namje praised Chungnyeong's deep learning and spoke as follows:
"In the past, when His Late Majesty was still a prince, I urged him to pursue learning, and His Late Majesty said, 'A mere prince has no place to participate, so why would I study?' So I said, 'Who among the king's sons cannot become king?' Now seeing that His Highness the Grand Prince loves learning like this, my heart is pleased." (Note 1)
It was truly a meaningful statement.
Though Namje did not explain what intention he had in saying this, due to Namje's position and the content of the words, this statement immediately reached King Taejong. However, upon hearing this, Taejong just said the following and laughed it off:
"That old man went too far."
Though Taejong laughed it off, the competition between those pushing for the Crown Prince Yangnyeong and those pushing for Chungnyeong as the owner of the next throne began to accelerate even more.
The decisive cause of such competition was Taejong's ambiguous handling. In principle, he acknowledged Yangnyeong as the Crown Prince as the eldest son of the legitimate wife, but he continued to show consistent interest and favorable evaluations toward Chungnyeong.
"Look at Chungnyeong!"
Whenever reports came up that Yangnyeong, the Crown Prince, was neglecting his studies, Taejong mentioned Chungnyeong and harassed the Crown Prince.
Once, unable to endure such comparison, the Crown Prince criticized Chungnyeong during a private audience with Taejong.
"Chungnyeong is not brave!"
At the Crown Prince's rebuttal, Taejong openly countered.
"Though he may seem not brave, in deciding great matters and determining the great principle, there is no one in this age (當世) who can compare with him."
With this evaluation added to showing benevolence by pitying the people's hardships, Chungnyeong became Yangnyeong's strongest competitor.
Though Taejong was the one who induced such fierce competition, Taejong continued to acknowledge Yangnyeong as the Crown Prince.
Ultimately, whether it was Taejong's intention or the spontaneous movement of officials wanting to prevent another 'Uprising of the Princes' from occurring, Park Eun gave a warning to Shim On, the leader of those pushing for Chungnyeong.
"Since Grand Prince Chungnyeong is virtuous, hearts inside and out are leaning toward him. You should ask him so that he knows how to conduct himself." (Note 2)
Though Park Eun gave a warning, Shim On ignored the warning and at the same time did not convey it to Chungnyeong. Eventually, having waited and waited until exhausted, Park Eun personally visited Chungnyeong's residence.
The incident of that day was one Hyang also remembered. As befitting a child who hadn't passed his first birthday long ago, he was in a situation of sleeping more than half of each day, but the commotion occurring outside was enough to wake Hyang from his sleep.
"Lord Shim! Do you have thoughts or not!"
"Heheh. Lord Park. That's not it..."
"Lord Shim doing this is not acceptable! Do you intend to experience again that bloody massacre that occurred during His Majesty the Founding King's time?"
"How could that possibly happen?"
"Then what is this behavior you're showing now! Move aside this instant! I must see His Highness the Grand Prince!"
"Last time I simply forgot. I will definitely convey it this time. Let us end here for today."
"Wait, Lord Shim!"
"Now, now... let us end here for today."
Though he was hearing only sound rather than seeing with his eyes, Hyang realized the situation had become serious.
'Is something really bad going to happen?'
"Hwoo~."
Shim On, having pushed Park Eun out the main gate, let out a long sigh. After watching Park Eun's back as he disappeared into the distance for a while, Shim On turned his body with a hardened face.
"Anyway, it's a situation of riding a tiger (騎虎之勢)."
Shim On's voice muttering to himself was resolute. The current Crown Prince Yangnyeong was not someone lacking. However, there were many disqualifying factors (缺格事由) in his conduct (品行). There was Hyoryeong as the second son (次子), but it was self-evident and acknowledged by all (自他共認) that he had no interest in the throne. If you eliminate in that way, as the legitimate son of the current King, what remained was his son-in-law, Chungnyeong.
'For the future of Joseon, only Grand Prince Chungnyeong is the answer!'
Having made his decision, Shim On pushed for Chungnyeong as Crown Prince. It was a gamble with his life, but Shim On thought there was a chance of winning. Because Taejong's reaction was lukewarm. As the forces supporting him increased, Shim On's confidence grew even stronger.
"Though His Majesty dislikes in-laws, if the Grand Prince becomes Crown Prince, everything is resolved! When the Grand Prince becomes Crown Prince and later ascends to the throne, I just need to bow my head for a moment!"
And on the day the Grand Prince would ascend to the throne, he would become the king's father-in-law, the Crown Prince's maternal grandfather, and as the subject who performed the greatest merit, he would rise to the position of being above ten thousand people below one person (一人之下 萬人之上).
Note 1) Annals of King Taejong, 15th year, December 30th
Note 2) Annals of King Taejong, 17th year, October 6th
< Episode 4: Who Do You Think Father Is? (2) > End
ⓒ Gukppong