Chapter 74: People (7)
When Yong turned three, he was adopted as the son of his late uncle, Prince Seongnyeong, who had died young at the age of fourteen.
Afterward, as he grew older, he split his time between the palace and Prince Seongnyeong's residence. However, one day, watching a sadangpae performance on his way to the palace became the catalyst for trouble.
Hearing the noise from outside, Yong, sitting inside the palanquin, showed curiosity.
"Hmm. What's all that noise?"
At Yong's question, the attending eunuch checked the situation and answered.
"It seems a sadangpae has set up a performance."
"Sadangpae? Let's go watch."
At Yong's words, the eunuch stepped forward with a troubled expression to dissuade him.
"Your Highness, it is too vulgar for you to see. It would be best not to watch."
"But I want to see!"
When Yong insisted, the nurse who was riding in the palanquin with him stepped forward to help the eunuch.
"Your Highness, that is a place where lowly people gather..."
"I said I want to see!"
As Yong's voice grew louder, the nurse sighed and spoke to the eunuch.
"Let's watch for just a moment."
"Wow! Wow! Well done!"
Yong, watching the sadangpae's performance, clapped continuously and enjoyed himself.
The skills of the tightrope walker precariously performing on a high rope were amazing, and the plate spinner's skills of placing bowls or basins on thin sticks and spinning them while exchanging banter with the clown were also wondrous.
After watching three acts of the sadangpae's performance—originally six acts, but Yong only saw three since he arrived in the middle—Yong could not forget those memories afterward.
Seeing a child similar in age to himself flying through the sky, performing tricks and dancing with excitement, it seemed to overflow with a freedom he could never possess.
And above all, it was thrilling.
Eventually, Yong made a firm resolution.
"I'm going to become a sadangpae!"
* * *
Hearing that his third son Yong had something he desperately wanted to say, Sejong called for him. Having taken a brief break from his duties, Sejong sipped tea and asked Yong.
"So, you have something to say to your father?"
"This son wishes to become a sadangpae!"
"Pfft! You insolent brat!"
At Yong's outrageous statement, Sejong sprayed his tea and flew into a rage.
Afterward, Sejong, Queen Soheon, and even Princess Jeonghye all tried to scold and reason with him, but Yong's stubbornness would not break.
"No! No! I'm going to become a sadangpae!"
Receiving the eunuch's report, Sejong placed his hand on his forehead and let out a long sigh.
"Just when Yu got better, now Yong... These children of mine..."
* * *
As Sejong and indeed the entire family's worries deepened, eventually Hyang stepped forward.
Calling Yong to sit, Hyang quietly asked him.
"Yong, did you say you want to become a sadangpae?"
"Yes!"
"Do you like dancing and singing like a sadangpae, or do you like watching the sadangpae's performance?"
"Hmm..."
At Hyang's question, Yong couldn't answer easily and tilted his head sideways.
Seeing Yong struggling to properly gauge what he actually liked, Hyang asked another question.
"If you become a sadangpae, you won't be able to eat the yakgwa you like, and you won't be able to eat sweets properly either. Will you still become a sadangpae?"
"I don't like that..."
"You don't like that, but you do like watching the sadangpae's performance?"
"Yes!"
"Then it's simple. You just need to grow up to be a great person and call the sadangpae to watch them. If you become famous, you'll be able to summon and watch every sadangpae in the country."
"Ah..."
Yong's mouth fell open as he imagined Hyang's words in his mind. Just as Yong was having such enjoyable thoughts, Hyang poured cold water on them.
"But you know, from what I can see, you won't be able to become a great person."
"Why not!"
"Look at yourself right now. You're throwing a tantrum about becoming a sadangpae, causing worry not just for Father but also Mother and your older sister. How can you become a great person like that?"
"I will become a great person!"
At Yong's outburst, Hyang shook his head.
"It'll be difficult. No, impossible. You don't listen, you don't study. Absolutely not."
"I can do it if I try! If I try!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"You promised."
"I promised!"
At Yong's determined answer, Hyang smiled.
"Good, then I'll make a promise too. If you learn properly from the Royal Tutor, I'll take responsibility and let you watch the sadangpae! If you grow up to be a great person, I'll summon sadangpae from all over the country for you to watch!"
"You promised!"
"It's a promise!"
With Hyang's words, Yong followed a similar path to Yu.
Receiving the report that 'Hyang has set Yong's mind straight,' Sejong laughed heartily for the first time in a while.
"Hahaha! Indeed the Crown Prince! Indeed the eldest son!"
As Sejong rejoiced, the ministers nearby added their words.
"Truly, this is Joseon's great fortune!"
"Indeed!"
Meanwhile, Hyang, thinking of his two younger brothers in his room, shook his head repeatedly.
"One is obsessed with iron, and the other is a complete fanatic... How did they both become obsessed in fields known for being difficult to cure even with severance... At least I succeeded in making them study. I should thank the teachers."
The teachers Hyang mentioned were the ones who had taught him when he was a high school student in the 21st century. The teachers, knowing Hyang's famous obsession, had advised him as follows:
"If you don't want to be cursed at as an otaku, succeed! Become a capable fan or a successful fan, and you'll be called 'an enthusiast with maniacal hobbies' instead of a 'damn otaku'!"
"It's like how someone who likes alcohol—if they down soju shots while wearing a ratty undershirt and worn-out slippers, they're a dropout who just drinks, but if they drink expensive Western liquor at a hotel bar in a high-end suit, they're evaluated as someone who enjoys drinking! Pretty dirty, right? That's just how the world is."
Recalling those old memories, Hyang scratched his head.
"But then again, both them and me... with otakus appearing like this, I wonder if later there'll be something like the 'Jeonju Yi Clan Otaku Faction'?"
Even as a small typhoon swirled around the princes' upbringing issues, most of the court officials didn't particularly care.
"In the time I'd spend worrying about that, doing work is more profitable!"
These were officials for whom, seeing the books and scrolls that continued to pile up no matter how much they worked, the career paths of princes were like tales from another world.
And the biggest reason they didn't care was because Hyang, someone with an enormously strong presence, was holding firm as the successor.
"Since His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is holding firm, is there any need to worry?"
* * *
However, there were also those suffering from headaches due to unresolved questions.
This was Hassan, who had entered as a rank 9 mathematics instructor and was working as a rank 8 mathematics instructor and researcher affiliated with the research institute.
"Senior Instructor Ha. Why is your expression like that lately? Is there a problem at home?"
A colleague from the research institute, noticing Hassan's poor expression, asked him. Since Hassan's younger brother was also working as a mathematics instructor and researcher, the institute officials distinguished them as 'Senior Instructor Ha, Junior Instructor Ha.'
The catch was that the younger brother had a larger build.
Receiving his colleague's question, Hassan shook his head and evaded.
"Ah, it's nothing."
"Looking at your expression alone, it seems like a major disaster has struck your household."
"Well, there's a problem I can't resolve..."
At Hassan's answer, his colleague responded with an expression saying 'what a struggle.'
"If there's a problem you can't resolve, just ask the Weirdo! Why are you suffering through it alone! Go quickly!"
"Yes, yees..."
At Hassan's lukewarm answer, the colleague official's meddling instinct kicked in.
"Hey! Are you shy at that age? Let's go together!"
"No, that's not it..."
"Come on! Follow me!"
The meddlesome official eventually dragged Hassan to find Yi Sun-ji.
"What brings you here?"
When Yi Sun-ji asked about the business, Hassan hesitated.
"Well, that is..."
"Speak quickly. Time is passing, isn't it? Precious time, I mean."
At Yi Sun-ji's urging, Hassan made up his mind and opened his mouth.
"There is a problem that absolutely won't resolve itself."
At Hassan's words, Yi Sun-ji's eyes began to sparkle.
"A problem that won't resolve? Hoh? A problem that even the great Instructor Ha can't solve... This piques my interest. So, what's the problem?"
"Where in the world are these Seo-i that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince speaks of?"
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
At Hassan's question, which went far beyond expectations, Yi Sun-ji and the colleague just blinked.
"I don't understand... Why Seo-i suddenly?"
In response to Yi Sun-ji's question asking for the reason, Hassan added.
"This may sound like self-praise, but if anyone in the court knows the most about Seo-i right now, it would be me, my brother, and the fellow believers who came with us."
"That is true."
At Hassan's words, Yi Sun-ji and the colleague nodded.
After briefly organizing his thoughts, Hassan continued speaking.
"It's been 30 years since our family settled in this Joseon, but we still had some contact with believers in Ming. Through them, we could hear stories about the Catholic countries called Seo-i in Joseon. But..."
* * *
Hassan's explanation continued at length. Yi Sun-ji, who had been listening to Hassan's story with a serious face, reached a conclusion.
"This doesn't seem like a problem I can resolve on my own. Let's move together."
"Yes."
Rising from his seat, Yi Sun-ji warned the colleague official who had come with them.
"I hope you'll keep today's matter as quiet as possible. For your own protection as well."
At Yi Sun-ji's warning, the official answered with a pale face, gulping down his saliva.
"Yes, yes sir!"
"No, you should come with us too."
"I will absolutely keep it secret!"
"There's a saying, isn't there? 'Already a discarded body,' they say. Don't make excuses and follow me."
At Yi Sun-ji's firm command, the official answered with a tearful face.
"Yees..."
Watching the scene from the side, Hassan patted his colleague's shoulder.
"Sorry."
"It's fine. I just dug my own grave. This meddling habit of mine..."
"Hurry and come!"
"Yes sir!"
* * *
"Hmm... so what you're saying is that the things His Royal Highness the Crown Prince claimed were from Seo-i are things that even Seo-i couldn't have made?"
At Jeong Cho's question, Hassan nodded.
"Do you have certain evidence?"
At Jeong Cho's question, Hassan answered immediately.
"The most certain evidence is those sailing ships."
"Sailing ships?"
"Yes. Do you remember when I went to Ming under His Highness's command to find glass artisans?"
At Hassan's question, Jeong Cho nodded.
"I remember well. In the end, unable to find artisans of the desired level, your younger brother left for his hometown, didn't he?"
"Yes. At that time, the condition His Highness set was 'artisans capable of making plate glass and objects called lenses.' And the standard for plate glass that followed was over 2 cheok (about 70cm) in both width and height."
When Hassan told his relative this story, the relative was shocked.
"Is this Crown Prince fellow Italian?"
"What do you mean?"
"Mass-producing plate glass of that size only started recently in Italy! We only just heard that news ourselves!"
"...In other words, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince knew about technology that was only recently developed in a country he hasn't even visited."
At Hassan's words, Jeong Cho immediately raised a counterargument.
"Couldn't His Royal Highness the Crown Prince have simply set the standard high? Like saying, 'It should be at least this level.'"
"That could be possible, but it was an extremely detailed standard—specifically, a standard that would be impossible to set without fairly detailed knowledge. And..."
Pausing briefly, Hassan raised his hand to point toward the corridor.
"The most incomprehensible thing is those sailing ships. In particular, the last ship of the line is the biggest problem."
"The ship of the line? Why?"
"From what I've heard, among the countries of Seo-i, not a single one has made ships like that."
"Huh?"
At his relative's shocked reaction to the plate glass issue, Hassan asked what he had been most curious about.
"But let me ask you. Among the ships these Catholic heathens make, are there any that move only with sails without using oars?"
"There are. I once went to my hometown with that Ming emperor's eunuch named Zheng He. Since I was going to my hometown anyway, I thought I'd earn some more money and went as far as the Mediterranean, and the Spaniards were building large ships. Carracks, I think?"
"What do they look like?"
"Well..."
At Hassan's question, the relative relative recalled his memory and drew a picture on paper. Seeing that picture, Hassan asked again.
"So this is the most modern type these heathens use?"
"That's right!"
"At that time, the sailing ship in the picture my relative drew was what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince designated as '1st generation.'"
"Do you have that drawing?"
At Jeong Cho's question, Hassan rummaged through his sleeve and took out a piece of paper to present.
Jeong Cho's face stiffened as he looked at the drawing on the paper.
The ship drawn on the paper was somewhat crude, but it closely resembled what Hyang had designated as the '1st generation ocean-going sailing ship.'
Watching Jeong Cho's expression, Hassan continued.
"Even stranger is the new armor that started being supplied to the Royal Guards. Though covered with cloth on the outside, no matter how I look at it, this is plate armor of the Seo-i."
"That's because the swordsmanship the Royal Guards learn is Seo-i swordsmanship..."
"Yes, I know. Among the books His Highness obtained, swordsmanship books recording Seo-i swordsmanship came in, and he had the Royal Guards soldiers who hadn't learned family traditional swordsmanship or separate swordsmanship learn it. But it's impossible to make such perfect armor with just a few drawings. Furthermore, the technique of casting in molds to stamp out at once was something even Seo-i didn't have. Literally a new technology. That's why I'm telling you I can't figure it out. Where in the world are these Seo-i that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince speaks of?"
"What you're saying is..."
"His Highness said Seo-i, but this must be something His Highness thought of himself. Then the question arises: 'Why? Why did he make the excuse of Seo-i? Why is he so wary of Seo-i?'"
"Hmm... This is a matter that needs thought."
Jeong Cho, who was nodding, warned Yi Sun-ji, Hassan, and the official who had been dragged along unwillingly.
"Keep this matter quiet for the time being. If mishandled, it could be an issue affecting Joseon's rise and fall."
"Yes."
* * *
A few days later, on the research institute's official holiday, a servant visited Hassan's home.
"Please come to Lord Jeong Cho's residence by Sul-si late (9 PM)."
"Understood."
The servant who delivered the news bowed quietly and disappeared.
At Sul-si late, Hassan headed to Jeong Cho's residence.
The servant who had been pacing in front of the main gate quietly guided Hassan to the detached quarters as soon as he spotted him.
"My lord, the guest you were waiting for has arrived."
"Show him in."
"Yes. Please enter."
"Understood."
Ascending to the main hall of the detached quarters, Hassan turned his head to look at the reception room. Seeing Sejong seated in the innermost seat of honor, Hassan hurriedly performed a deep bow.
"Your subject, mathematics instructor..."
"Shh! Come in quietly."
"Yes."
At Sejong's command, Hassan entered the room and took the lowest seat.
"Now that everyone seems to be here, let's get to the main topic."
"Yes, Your Majesty. The beginning of this matter is that Instructor Ha over there..."
Jeong Cho explained the course of events in detail.
Listening to the explanation, Sejong nodded.
"I too have recently come to have similar doubts. I read the books the Crown Prince gathered, but nowhere was there a book that explained as much as the Crown Prince had said. So then, where did the knowledge the Crown Prince possesses come from?"
At Sejong's question, Jeong Cho responded.
"Your subject also had similar doubts. Considering the recent heliocentrism issue, it seemed he couldn't explain it precisely because it was such an obvious fact that it needed no explanation."
"Is that possible?"
At Sejong's question, Yi Sun-ji stepped forward to answer.
"In my case, there have often been times when I see a certain formula and the answer immediately comes to mind, but I struggle because I can't explain the derivation. It might be something like that."
As Yi Sun-ji defended Hyang, Choi Hae-san added more.
"Looking back at designing and testing the cannons, there was a strong feeling that he already knew the results but was guiding us to understand."
"Why on earth?"
No one immediately answered Sejong's question.
After some time passed, Jeong In-ji opened his mouth.
"Could it be because of His Highness's young age?"
"Because of the Crown Prince's age..."
As Sejong nodded, Jeong In-ji continued.
"Looking at His Highness's actions so far, he first performed deeds that would gain recognition, then based on those achievements, carried out even greater tasks. If such a process hadn't existed, how likely would it have been for the great and small officials of the court to listen to His Highness's words?"
"He anticipated even that, carried out his plans, and used Seo-i as an excuse?"
"That is the most likely possibility."
"Hmm..."
Stroking his beard and weighing the possibility, Sejong looked at Hassan.
"Did you say Instructor Ha?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Are these Westerners truly as ruthless as the Crown Prince says?"
"They are those who are more than capable of being so!"
Hassan strongly asserted the ruthlessness of the Westerners.
"Fundamentally, these Westerners have pride reaching the sky, believing themselves to be heirs of the great Roman Empire! Furthermore, they are those who kill people believing in other gods without hesitation, claiming it's the will of the god they believe in! And they are people whose greed for technology is as great as their greed for wealth!"
"Then, if we meet them unprepared, it will happen as the Crown Prince says?"
"It will indeed!"
"Then..."
At Hassan's words, Sejong began to organize his thoughts.
"I command you, ministers."
"We will listen with sealed ears!"
Sejong gave his orders in a grave voice.
"It is my judgment that most of what the Crown Prince has created or announced so far came from the Crown Prince's own mind. However, externally, make it known as the Crown Prince did—as things of Seo-i. This is a strategy that kills two birds with one stone: one, making other countries believe these technologies are from Seo-i to protect the Crown Prince. The other is making them spend energy and time searching for these Seo-i, buying time to leave them behind. Do you understand what I mean?"
"We will bear it in mind with deep gratitude!"
"And Instructor Ha. You surely know you must keep this secret as well?"
At Sejong's question, Hassan answered with his head bowed.
"Your subject, Hassan Hamad Muhammad Al-Otaibi! The place where I will take root and die is Joseon! I will keep this secret on my family's honor!"
"Can you swear on the name of the god you believe in?"
"I swear to Your Majesty in the name of the one God Allah! I will not reveal the secret even to my family!"
"Do not forget that there will be a price to match."
Thus, a secret that would become the greatest subject of debate for future historians and give them headaches was born in the detached quarters of Jeong Cho's residence.
* * *
"Hmph! That rascal!"
Leaving Jeong Cho's house and returning to the palace, Sejong suddenly burst into laughter.
"What is it, Your Majesty?"
"It's nothing."
Waving his hand lightly, Sejong grumbled internally.
'That brat! If it's him, he must have figured out the script to some extent too! But he's still pretending not to know? I have so much official work right now, should I just dump it all on him?'
Thinking of his wicked son who had been dropping hints about the script whenever he found small openings to move him into action, Sejong shook his head.
"No! I can't be a father worse than my son!"
"Pardon?"
"It's nothing. Just that the ministers will be busy starting tomorrow."
"Yees..."
'Crown Prince! This father will prepare the groundwork as much as possible so that when you ascend to the throne, you can unfold your will to your heart's content!'
That night, all the ministers suffered from sleep paralysis.