He Became King Sejong’s Lifelong Prime Minister - Chapter 158

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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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Honeyed Words and Hidden Daggers (3)

For the arrival of Joseon’s Crown Prince, the atmosphere in the Ming Dynasty’s Pyeonjeon Hall was extremely cold.

Previously, when Prince Gyeongnyeong Lee Bi came, they treated him with utmost care like when Prince Yangnyeong was Crown Prince, and the Emperor personally patted his head.

But now, even though Joseon’s Crown Prince had come, there was no sign of welcome at all.

“Joseon’s Crown Prince must have suffered much traveling such a long distance despite his young age.”

Crown Prince Munjong responded to those words.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty. Though this subject is in Joseon and it takes time to reach Jingshi (Ming capital, Beijing), when Your Majesty calls, isn’t it a subject’s duty to come running immediately? This subject was so delighted at the thought of meeting Your Majesty that even traveling the long diplomatic journey was extremely joyful.”

“Joseon’s Crown Prince engages in excessive Flattery and Fawning. I wish to distance myself from treacherous subjects and keep loyal subjects close. Why do you so enjoy adorning your words?”

“I am sorry, Your Majesty.”

“However, within those adorned words, I felt Joseon Crown Prince’s sincerity, so I will not severely reprimand you.”

If they’re displeased about Joseon’s unauthorized territorial expansion, they should lodge a diplomatic protest, but these crazy bastards are pulling rank on the Crown Prince in front of the diplomatic mission.

Originally, when asked if the diplomatic journey was difficult, it’s common sense for Joseon’s envoy to say ‘I was so delighted to see Your Majesty that I didn’t even notice the hardship of the long journey.’

We made a sensible statement, but what the Emperor said was essentially ‘You bastard, seeing you talk like a treacherous subject, your prospects look dim.’

That diseased Emperor who’ll die soon sure speaks prettily.

Thanks, you rotten bastard. I’ll definitely tear the Ming Dynasty into pretty little pieces.

“The Crown Prince must be tired from the long journey, and the other subjects must be the same. Therefore, I will specially bestow imperial grace by exempting the welcoming banquet (banquet held for diplomatic missions’ arrival and departure), so go back and rest.”

“Your grace is boundless, Your Majesty.”

“I will read the Memorial Document that Do (King Sejong) submitted tomorrow and respond as quickly as possible. Rest comfortably until then before returning.”

In fact, Crown Prince Munjong, Choi Yun-deok, and I alike are all extremely exhausted.

So it would be comfortable and nice to just go back and rest as he said.

But considering the meaning contained within, the Emperor’s instruction contains the intention of not treating Joseon as human.

It means there’s no need to observe formal diplomatic procedures with the current Joseon, so we omitted them ourselves and should rest comfortably.

‘It’s an unbearable humiliation for young Crown Prince Munjong.’

Even I’m trembling with rage right now, but as a nation’s Crown Prince who barely made the long journey, to be treated coldly as if Joseon is less than Northern Barbarians?

As Crown Prince, even though he did nothing wrong, he’ll keep wondering what exactly he did wrong.

In that process, they would fall into tremendous self-loathing and despair.

“You may withdraw.”

After hearing the Ming Emperor’s order to dismiss us, we all left the Pyeonjeon Hall of the Forbidden City.

Crown Prince Munjong, who had become very close to me during our diplomatic journey, pushed past Choi Yun-deok and came to my side.

“Secretary, what on earth did I do wrong for His Majesty to treat us worse than Jurchen barbarians? If I did something wrong, I’ll fix it, so tell me everything from one to ten.”

Crown Prince Munjong was tremendously shaken right now.

His complexion had turned somewhat pale, and his body was trembling.

At only 13 years old, carrying the nation’s fate on his shoulders and coming here so dignifiedly was remarkable enough, but as soon as he arrived, he earnestly heard Emperor Xuande say ‘Joseon is inferior to the Jurchen tribes’…

It would be stranger if his mind remained intact.

“Your Highness has done nothing wrong. Also, the diplomatic mission that Your Highness led has done nothing wrong.”

“Is that so?”

“That is correct. Think about it, if Joseon had truly committed a great transgression, would they have even permitted Your Highness and our diplomatic mission to enter Jingshi?”

Until this problem was resolved to some degree, we would have had to continuously write and submit memorials from Hanyang via the Liaodong Commissioner, and the Emperor who received the memorials would have issued imperial edicts containing all sorts of unreasonable demands.

Imperial edicts written in very refined language demanding tribute women, eunuchs, tiger hide, horses would have poured down.

The Royal Court’s back would have bent from preparing all that.

No, we could handle all that.

The problem is offering tribute women and eunuchs continuously like how women were exploited as comfort women by the Japanese during the colonial period.

Even so, just imagining having to console them saying it’s unavoidable for Joseon’s survival makes my blood boil.

“Your Highness has done absolutely nothing wrong. However, they are now wary because Joseon has become too strong.”

“They are wary.”

“I also built friendships while passing through Liaodong by giving appropriate gifts to the military officials of Liaodong. And what they all said was that the Joseon army achieved overwhelming victory against the Jurchen, and they asked quite seriously what the secret was.”

So I created and told them lies that omitted the core points but were at a level they could accept when they heard them.

Joseon squeezed the farmers to complete this expedition, and prepared for several grain transport ships to sink while stockpiling military supplies in the Hamgyeong Province and Pyeongan Province regions.

Then they advanced a large army while continuously maintaining supply lines, so the Jurchen barbarians couldn’t cope.

“The fact that they’re asking me such things shows that they’re simply wary of Joseon’s sudden rise in power.”

“… Is that so, Deputy Envoy?”

At those words, Choi Yun-deok nodded his head.

“I became Supreme Commander and led the Joseon army, but because the Joseon army’s strength grew so rapidly, we achieved results several times greater than expected. It’s natural for Ming Dynasty to be wary.”

In the original history, the expedition ended at the level of securing the Four Commanderies and Six Fortresses, that is, the current borders of the Korean Peninsula.

However, now we’re in a situation where we’re eyeing beyond Southern Manchuria to the Yanbian region, even Vladivostok and Siberia…

‘It’s worth being wary of.’

“However, Your Highness, there’s nothing to worry about. I will resolve this somehow.”

Fortunately, Ming Dynasty has the Northern Yuan as their mortal enemy, and they’re also in a state where war could break out with Vietnam at any time.

In this situation, they absolutely cannot choose the option of full-scale war with Joseon or deteriorating diplomatic relations.

If Joseon’s diplomatic mission appropriately mentions these issues and submits a plan for how to deal with the Jurchen Territory, the Ming Emperor will quickly forgive us.

However, the problem is how to convey this.

“Minister Seo Janggwan!”

A familiar voice was heard.

No, I think I can tell who it is just from the voice.

The distinctive shrill voice of eunuchs, full of that treacherous feeling.

That guy is definitely Wang Jin.

“Well, I never thought you’d come looking for me so soon.”

The Crown Prince and Choi Yun-deok looked at me as if I were a strange person.

Although Joseon is in a position where it must flatter Ming Dynasty, they must find it absurd that I’m welcoming a mere eunuch so enthusiastically.

Regardless of that, the guy in front of me right now is like a term deposit to me.

No, he’s a person like stocks that will definitely skyrocket if I invest diligently, like some innovative obsessed apple phone company in the future.

He’s the person who will play the biggest role in tearing apart the Ming Dynasty.

“Haha, Minister Seo Janggwan. Please rejoice with me.”

“Was there some good news?”

“His Majesty greatly praised my talent, scholarship, and character, and appointed me as Minister Gukrang (tutor to the Crown Prince). A mere eunuch like me has become Minister Gukrang. This is unprecedented in Ming Dynasty history.”

Crown Prince and Choi Yun-deok, who heard these words through the interpreter, tilted their heads in confusion.

Then they opened their eyes wide and froze in place.

“Congratulations, Minister Gukrang.”

“Just as Minister Seo Janggwan said, everyone has recognized my talent. Like Sima Qian, who devoted himself to achieving his goals even after becoming a eunuch, the time has come for me to display my talents to all under heaven.”

When it comes to the talent for ruining nations, Wang Jin is the best.

If Joseon has Won Gyun, King Injo who can’t even flee properly, and Queen Myeongseong who distributes all official positions to her relatives… then the Ming Dynasty has Wang Jin to that extent.

“The Ming Dynasty, filled with excellent gentlemen like Minister Gukrang, will surely prosper greatly in the future.”

“Haha, wouldn’t the same be true for Joseon? With someone like Minister Seo Janggwan present, Joseon will also prosper greatly.”

After thoroughly praising Wang Jin, I let out a deep sigh.

“Minister Gukrang, may I make just one request?”

“For Minister Seo Janggwan, who recognized my true worth faster than anyone else, what couldn’t I do? As long as it doesn’t harm the nation, I’ll help with anything.”

Buying Wang Jin coin at the bottom was a great success.

Though that guy isn’t yet the Director of Ceremonies, the top eunuch, due to the special nature of the Minister Gukrang position, his influence already equals that of the Director of Ceremonies.

In other words, it’s entirely possible to convey Joseon’s true intentions to the Ming Emperor through this guy.

“I don’t know who they are, but some treacherous subjects are blocking His Majesty’s sacred favor and speaking ill of Joseon. How should we overcome this?”

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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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