He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 136

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Gwon Ram and Han Myeong-hoe (7)

The power of education is truly great.

It has the ability to turn even humans born as psychopaths into excellent people who contribute to society.

Because I believe in this, I decided to reform Han Myeong-hoe and Gwon Ram.

“Now then, from this moment on, I shall give you my first teaching.”

At my words, Gwon Ram tilted his head and asked.

“Isn’t studying about opening Books and reading calligraphy while learning what the sages have said? But right now, we don’t have a single book with us.”

“Studying isn’t only about learning the words of ancient sages. Learning how the world works is also studying, and discussing how the world turns and what my thoughts are about it is all part of studying too.”

Studying must never stop at simply accumulating knowledge.

If one becomes satisfied with that and only repeats it, they’re likely to become test specialists who are only good at memorizing.

Such test specialists can become worthless outside of exams, or they might even become villains.

If you go to high schools in Gangnam, you’ll find children whose mock exam scores are good enough to get into top universities, but who lead School violence because they didn’t receive proper character education.

Or there are cases where they can’t adapt to the companies they join due to lack of social skills and have to quit due to maladjustment issues, or cases where they get scammed because they know too little about society.

I once witnessed a colleague of mine who passed the Administrative Examination date and marry what even I could see was ‘an extremely dangerous woman,’ then ruin his life.

The lesson I learned from this experience is this.

While specialized knowledge is important, one must also know the knowledge necessary to live as a human being.

“So I intend to often teach you how the world works and guide you to become scholars with proper character. Starting tomorrow, a separate teacher I’ve hired will teach you the Four Books and Three Classics.”

“Yes, Master.”

If it were up to my heart, I’d want to teach you everything including the Four Books and Three Classics while instilling knowledge about proper human character…

However, since I’m involved in government service, I don’t have that much time.

When studying for the civil service exam, you usually need to study 10-13 hours a day, so how could I hold onto these kids and teach them for such long hours?

So I plan to fulfill my role as a teacher by coming during rest days or when I have spare time to instill the principles of living humanely and proper values.

“Now then, from this moment on, answer my words freely and comfortably without hesitation. Why exactly do you study?”

To my question, Han Myeong-hoe answered first.

“To rise to fame and honor and bring glory to my family’s name.”

“That’s also a correct answer, but is that really what you want?”

In this world, there are extremely few people who actually enjoy studying.

Doctors, lawyers, judges, and those in various professional fields—even those who studied 14-15 hours a day during their civil service exam preparation—hate studying.

I too, from the moment I sat at my desk and opened a book during my school days, was seized by the urge to do something else immediately.

However, the reason I could suppress that urge and somehow devote myself to studying was… because I wanted to become an admirable person like the Civil Servant Uncle who helped me.

Without that motivation, I wouldn’t have been able to devote myself to studying like that.

“I heard from Inspector Han that you’re very devoted to the wet nurse who raised you. The reason being that when you were born as a seven-month baby with a weak body and everyone thought you would die, she wrapped you in warm down and carefully nursed you to raise you, so you have special gratitude toward that wet nurse. Am I right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Whether in Europe or East Asia, wet nurses were greatly respected by nobles.

Because in place of their busy biological mothers, they directly breastfed and changed diapers.

The person who raised them from childhood to adulthood was precisely the wet nurse.

Therefore, even in Joseon, masters who think nothing of slaves and beat them for trivial reasons don’t treat their household’s wet nurses carelessly.

When the wet nurse who raised them dies, everyone wears mourning clothes for three months. Just like when a close relative dies.

Among them, Han Myeong-hoe was born with a weak body and could have died at any time, but his wet nurse saved and raised him, so his gratitude toward his wet nurse would be especially great.

“If you memorize all of the Four Books and Three Classics within the next four years, I’ll tell Inspector Han to burn the slave documents of your wet nurse and her family.”

“Really?”

“Myeong-hoe, isn’t she someone you follow like a mother? As your teacher, I can do at least this much. Of course, if you can’t memorize all of the Four Books and Three Classics within four years, this proposal will become useless.”

What we commonly misunderstand is that seeing records of Han Myeong-hoe disliking study and instead preferring to wander around here and there, we easily think he wasn’t very smart…

When Han Myeong-hoe became an adult, it’s said he possessed scholarship sufficient to aim for passing the civil service examinations.

But I think that during his youth, Han Myeong-hoe neglected his studies because he had no motivation or reason to study diligently.

My thought is that if I just plant the motivation, he’ll do well.

‘Even if he can’t memorize it all within four years, if he made bone-grinding efforts, I’ll try to persuade based on that.’

Han Gi will probably die next year, so when that happens, I’ll need to persuade Han Myeong-hoe’s maternal uncle.

“I will work hard.”

“Good, then Ram-i. Why do you think you need to study?”

“I want to become someone like you, Master.”

At this unexpected answer, I was momentarily speechless.

“Thanks to Master, our mother can now sleep peacefully every night. My other siblings no longer fear the coming of night. This is all because Master saved my sister and me when we fled in the middle of the night.”

If I hadn’t intervened, Kwon Je would have continued his rise to power as a genius with a broken personality.

He would have compiled the Goryeo History and eventually risen to the position of Right Chancellor.

In the process, his family would have been sacrificed to his violence and abuse.

“So when I told Mother about Master, she said that becoming an excellent person like Master in the future would be the greatest way to repay you.”

If Gwon Ram grows up with proper values and passes the civil service examination in that state.

He will become an excellent official with a spirit of caring for the people.

And when that boy and Han Myeong-hoe establish themselves in the Royal Court…

‘Since these boys are here, this old and incompetent minister will resign.’

After writing such a resignation letter, I will lay down my official position and depart for my hometown with Winter.

“Your heart is truly admirable. And hearing your words makes me think I should work harder too.”

“What kind of effort do you mean?”

“A teacher must always be someone worthy of respect in the eyes of his students. But since you say you will study hard to learn from me, I think I too must not neglect my efforts.”

A teacher must be teacherly.

This means I must stand tall like an insurmountable mountain for the rest of my life in the eyes of Gwon Ram and Han Myeong-hoe.

It won’t be easy, but I must do my best to the extent I can.

“Today’s lesson ends here. You may return home now. One thing I want to remind you is that when you study from now on, don’t forget the reasons for studying that you spoke of today, and always remember them.”

**

Gwon Ram and Han Myeong-hoe came out of Kim Dae-bung’s house after listening to his brief lesson.

And just as they were about to part ways, Gwon Ram stopped Han Myeong-hoe.

“Classes ended early too, so let’s go buy something to eat at the market. How about some injeolmi?”

“I don’t have money for that.”

“I’ll buy it. Let’s eat injeolmi and even have a bowl of soup rice each.”

Originally, there was no food called soup rice in Hanyang.

However, when Kim Dae-bung provided the soup rice idea to Jinhae County and Hanyang.

Those who opened soup rice shops in the market received such enthusiastic response that it finally spread nationwide.

Gwon Ram and Han Myeong-hoe had lived as refined young masters of yangban households until now, so they hadn’t had the opportunity to eat soup rice.

Gwon Ram happened to have some rice he’d received as pocket money, and classes had ended much earlier than expected…

It was perfect for having a bowl of soup rice with a friend.

“Alright.”

When Han Myeong-hoe nodded, Gwon Ram dragged him to the tavern closest to Kim Dae-bung’s house.

People did cast curious glances seeing two young masters come to eat soup rice…

But paying no mind to such things, the two ate their soup rice very deliciously.

“But why soup rice all of a sudden?”

“Our teacher is famous for observing the common people’s circumstances better than anyone else. So as his disciples, we should start with things like this to physically feel and experience the people’s lives.”

“You think eating one bowl of this will make you understand the people’s lives?”

“Then don’t eat it.”

“Oh come on, Ram-i hyung. Why are you being like this between us?”

Gwon Ram chuckled seeing Han Myeong-hoe backing down.

“You really need to study hard now too, right? Honestly, until now you’ve just been busy running around playing.”

“I thought I really need to work hard, even just thinking of my wet nurse. When I was young, my body was weak so I’d get fevers easily and hover between life and death, and each time… my wet nurse stayed by my side without sleeping, watching over me and caring for me, which is why I could survive instead of dying. I should naturally do at least this much for her.”

“It’s the same for me. When that bastard I don’t even want to call Father would get drunk and beat us, even though Mother had already been beaten a lot and couldn’t easily help us, she always threw her body to shield us and lovingly raised us while comforting us as we trembled in fear. How much mental anguish she must have suffered.”

“We both need to be filial then.”

Hearing those words, Gwon Ram burst out laughing.

“Hey, but I only have my mother. You have both your wet nurse and Father – that’s two people, isn’t it? You need to study twice as hard as me.”

“What are you saying, crazy bastard. Did you take the wrong medicine?”

“Ha, it’s really nice that my father disappeared… but honestly, I wish our teacher was my real father. And don’t you think Kim is much better than Gwon?”

Han Myeong-hoe heard those words and said just one thing.

“What are you, Lu Bu or something? Going to make multiple surnames? Stop talking nonsense and go study.”

From the next day onward, these two threw themselves into their studies as if they had become completely different people.

Each working toward achieving their own goals.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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