Chapter 15

< Chapter 15: Germination... or Cancer? (8) >

Chapter 15: Germination... or Cancer? (8)

Sejong, who was almost running to the Donggung Hall, gestured to the eunuchs who were hurriedly coming out of the hall.

"Those eunuchs, come here!"

"Your Majesty!"

Sejong, who saw the eunuchs bowing to him, gestured to stop them and immediately asked a question.

"No need for formalities, where are you going?"

"I am on my way to the Ministry of Personnel."

"I am on my way to the State Council."

"Why the Ministry of Personnel and the State Council?"

"Since the time of King Taejo, whenever Chinese envoys came, we were ordered to bring a complete list of the goods given to them..."

Before the eunuchs could finish their answer, Sejong's shout erupted.

"Really! You've been pampered too much!"

Sejong, whose anger had reached its peak, started running towards the Donggung Hall, his dragon robe flapping in the wind.

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!"

As Sejong started running, the eunuchs and guards who were following him also began to run.

Sejong and those following him disappeared with the wind, leaving behind the eunuchs who had come out on the incense's orders.

"What should we do now?"

"What else? We just follow the orders we received."

"But... still..."

The eunuch who received the order to go to the Ministry of Personnel looked at the Donggung Hall with a worried expression.

"If we make a mistake, there will be a bloodbath..."

* * *

Just as the Queen and the ministers arrived at the Donggung Hall, Sejong's scolding and the Crown Prince's defense were already erupting from the Crown Prince's room.

"You, Crown Prince! What kind of reckless behavior is this!"

"It's not reckless! I was merely preparing to do what I should as the Crown Prince!"

"You old fool! Do you know your age?"

"Age has nothing to do with doing what is right! Saying that one cannot act because of age is just an excuse!"

"Aren't there ministers?"

"Since the ministers won't move, I must!"

"You, to the end! Eunuchs, go and bring the rod and the whetstone!"

As Sejong shouted for the rod and the whetstone, Queen Soheon, who had been pacing outside, cried out.

"Your Majesty!"

"Queen, do not enter! Eunuchs, what are you doing! Bring the rod and the whetstone quickly!"

"Yes, yes..."

Sejong's scolding caused the door of the Crown Prince's room to open, and the eunuchs and Sangsun, who were accompanying Sejong, came out.

Seeing Sangsun's pale face, Queen Soheon quickly stepped onto the stone platform and entered the Crown Prince's room.

"Your Majesty!"

"Queen, go out! Eunuchs, escort the Queen out!"

"Your Majesty!"

"Eunuchs, what are you doing!"

After a commotion, Queen Soheon was dragged out by the eunuchs. Sitting down in front of the Donggung Hall, Queen Soheon shouted as if spitting out blood.

"Your Majesty! He is the Crown Prince! Please show mercy!"

"Sangsun, what are you doing! Bring the rod and the whetstone!"

Sangsun and the eunuchs brought the rod and the whetstone at Sejong's command.

"Do you still think your current behavior is right?"

"As the King of Joseon and the father of the people of Joseon, I am the eldest brother of the people of Joseon! How can I stand idly by when the envoys' visits cause my brothers to weep? Have you not seen the documents about the envoys' harmful effects? When envoys come, the local officials' wealth is plundered! What will those officials do? In the end, only the powerless common people suffer several times over!"

"That is for the ministers to solve!"

"Since the founding of Joseon, decades have passed, yet the ministers still cannot find a solution! They are only good at enjoying themselves! If they were true scholars of Joseon, who have learned and practiced the teachings of the sages, they would not stand idly by!"

The ministers, standing in the courtyard of the Donggung Hall and listening to the father-son argument, either bowed their heads in shame with red faces or looked up at the sky and sighed.

"Ah~."

"Do you still insist you are right?"

"I do not think I have done anything wrong!"

"You, to the end! Roll up your pants!"

Sejong's shout made Queen Soheon, who was outside, turn pale.

"Your Majesty! The Crown Prince is only nine!"

"The younger he is, the stricter he must be disciplined! Roll up your pants and get on the whetstone!"

A moment later, the Crown Prince's voice rang out.

"Jo Eun! Why are you getting on? I will take responsibility for what I have done! Move aside!"

"Your Highness!"

"Move aside!"

"Your Highness..."

Hearing the sobbing eunuch's voice, Queen Soheon called out to the Crown Prince with tears in her eyes.

"Crown Prince! Hyang!"

A moment later,

Smack!

"Your first sin is being arrogant based on limited knowledge!"

Smack!

"Your second sin is looking down on the ministers despite your young age!"

Smack!

"Your third sin is stubbornly insisting on your own words!"

Smack!

"Your fourth sin is disregarding your father's orders!"

With each sin named, the rod was swung once, and the sharp sound made the ministers standing in the courtyard of the Donggung Hall flinch.

After nearly twenty strokes, Sejong's rod stopped.

"Thoroughly reflect on today's events and ensure such reckless behavior does not happen again."

"I accept Your Majesty's orders."

Hearing the Crown Prince's answer, which sounded like he was gritting his teeth, Sejong left the room.

Sejong, who came out to the courtyard of the Donggung Hall, looked at Sangsun.

"Call the royal physician to check on the Crown Prince."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

At Sangsun's gesture, one of the eunuchs behind him quickly ran towards the Royal Medical Bureau.

"Phew~."

Sejong, who let out a long sigh, glared at the ministers standing in front of him.

Seeing Sejong's angry expression, the ministers, starting with the Three Chancellors, knelt on the ground.

"Please kill us!"

"Please kill us!"

Sejong briefly replied to their cries.

"By evening, choose one of the Three Chancellors as the chief envoy and two of the Six Ministers as the deputy envoys. By evening. If you fail, I will punish all the ministers, starting with the Three Chancellors, for treason."

"We accept your orders!"

Leaving the ministers' response behind, Sejong approached Queen Soheon, who was sitting on the ground, drenched in tears. Sejong, who helped her up, said calmly.

"Please take care of the Crown Prince."

After saying this, Sejong, with a tired face, walked towards his tent.

Queen Soheon, who bowed to Sejong with tears, glared at the ministers with a face full of anger.

"I will never forget today's events and your faces until the day I die!"

"Please kill us!"

"Shut up!"

Queen Soheon, who answered with a command to be quiet, quickly entered the Crown Prince's room.

"Hyang! What are the eunuchs doing! Quickly call the royal physician! Quickly!"

* * *

While the royal physician was examining the injuries, Queen Soheon, drenched in tears, checked Hyang's injuries. Of course, occasionally smacking Hyang's back was an added bonus.

"Who do you resemble to be so stubborn!"

"Why didn't you listen!"

"Your Majesty, it hurts!"

"It's supposed to hurt!"

It took five days for Hyang's injuries to heal. During this time, Hyang stopped his debates with the guests and spent his time alone.

"Ouch! Ow~~~."

Hyang, who was sitting alone and translating a European book, frowned at the pain coming from his leg.

His calf, which he was unknowingly shaking, had hit the chair leg, causing the pain. Looking at his sore leg, Hyang burst out laughing.

"This leg and back have suffered in both my past and present lives."

In his past life, his calves and back had also suffered due to his extraordinary dedication.

* * *

Thanks to the major incident caused by Hyang, the court was in a state of tension. The historian recorded the situation as follows.

On July 2, 1422 (the 4th year of Sejong's reign).

After the King severely reprimanded the Crown Prince, he ordered the Three Chancellors and the ministers to immediately select the chief and deputy envoys for the mission to China. Following the King's order, which set the deadline for evening, the Three Chancellors and the ministers were locked in a pavilion within Gyeongbok Palace, guarded by the royal guards. The King, who ordered the royal guards to guard the pavilion, also instructed the Chief of the Office of Special Inspection to prepare for an interrogation, in case the ministers failed to provide an answer by evening.

The historian writes:

Although the Crown Prince's actions were aggressive, his words were not wrong. However, his aggression deviated from the right path, and it was natural for the King to reprimand him severely.

The ministers' emphasis on the importance