Chapter 3

< Chapter 3: Who is Father? >

Who is Father?

On a warm, sunny spring day.

“I will end here today, Young Master.”

“You have done well.”

The young noble, who had just turned six, sent off the young official with a formal bow that was beyond his age, then stretched out his legs and let out a curse.

“Damn... I’m going to die from this.”

He rubbed his legs, which had gone numb from kneeling, and turned his head to look out the window.

The blue sky was visible above the tiled roofs.

The young noble sighed as he gazed at the sky.

“Sigh~. Being born as a prince is good, but... why did it have to be the Crown Prince, and with my father being Sejong?”

The young noble sighed deeply again.

“Why doesn’t it feel good even though I was reborn?”

The child, who used the word ‘rebirth’ that others would find hard to believe, was Jin-ho.

He was the eldest son of King Sejong, who would later become King Munjong.

* * *

When he first opened his eyes, Jin-ho thought he was in a temporary medical facility set up in his neighborhood. After all, the first thing he saw was the wooden beams.

‘Which nobleman’s house was it in our neighborhood...?’

While pondering whose house the temporary medical facility might be, Jin-ho soon realized another issue.

‘Why is this room so big? And why does it feel so cramped? Could I be in a full-body cast?’

Jin-ho turned his head with all his strength and realized that his body was tightly wrapped in swaddling clothes and was much smaller than expected.

“Eh?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, Jin-ho blurted out a sound.

At that moment, a woman’s voice came from a place Jin-ho’s gaze had not yet reached.

“Madam! The young master has opened his eyes!”

It took Jin-ho three days to realize he had been reborn as a baby.

While still wrapped in swaddling clothes, he repeatedly ate, slept, and soiled himself, counting the wooden beams, but his mind was constantly working to find answers.

‘I’m definitely reborn, but where am I? The background seems to be Joseon...’

Jin-ho couldn’t be sure where he was living because he couldn’t understand the language.

‘Is this a different world that looks exactly like Joseon? If so, that’s quite novel.’

After three months of confusion, Jin-ho finally understood the language well enough to be certain.

‘It’s Joseon! What kind of language is this...’

Jin-ho, who had not considered the 500 years that had passed, blamed the language.

Jin-ho’s actions to confirm the situation led to a misunderstanding by his parents.

“Husband, it seems our child is not an ordinary one.”

“You felt the same, my lady? I did too.”

“I am worried about this.”

“So am I.”

As their certainty that their child was not ordinary grew, the couple’s concerns deepened.

‘Royalty, huh? Royalty...’

Unaware of his parents’ deepening concerns, Jin-ho was summarizing the situation.

1. My father is royalty.

2. We currently live in Kaesong. The capital of Joseon is Hanyang.

Conclusion 1. Combining 1 and 2, my current father is far from the throne.

3. From the voices of the slaves outside and the clothing of my parents, they seem to have considerable wealth.

4. According to what I know, the royal family consciously avoided academics to survive.

Conclusion 2. I don’t have to worry about making a living, I won’t have to bow to anyone, and minimal education will suffice.

5. Based on the information I’ve gathered, I am the eldest son. I won’t be overshadowed within the family.

6. I still remember the knowledge from my past life.

7. If I start acting based on my past life’s memories when I grow up, it will be seen as eccentric behavior by an idle royal.

Final Conclusion. Yay! It’s a sweet deal!

Jin-ho smiled as he confirmed his conclusions.

‘Given the situation, studying the Thousand Character Classic and minimal academics should be enough... If it’s after King Sejong, Hangeul should be available, so I can study that. At that time, Westerners should have entered China, so I can get a few Chinese translations and wash the source. It’s a sweet deal!’

Jin-ho’s wet nurse and mother smiled and chatted as they saw him smiling, dreaming of a rosy future.

“Oh, Madam! The young master is smiling!”

“Is that so? What could be making him so happy?”

Jin-ho’s mother, holding him in her arms, looked around.

She heard her husband’s voice reading a book amidst the usual surroundings. Thinking that the sound of reading made the child smile, she stroked his head affectionately.

“Since he already enjoys the sound of reading, our child must have great literary talent.”

It was a fatal misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, Jin-ho was diligently assessing the situation and adjusting his plans.

‘First, let’s look at my parents...’

When Jin-ho first saw his mother and father’s faces after the swelling from childbirth had subsided, his thoughts were simple.

‘A child gave birth to a child.’

If it were the 21st century, both sets of parents would have been in an uproar, but in Joseon, where early marriage was common, it was understandable.

‘The problem is their clothing...’

Jin-ho tilted his head slightly as he looked at his parents’ attire.

‘Recalling the dramas I saw in my past life, this looks like early Joseon. Even if I push it back as far as possible, it could be the reign of King Seongjong or King Yeonsan? If it’s the reign of King Yeonsan, that’s a real headache.’

While pondering the era in which he was born, Jin-ho faced an even more troubling issue.

* * *

After safely passing the 21st and 100th days, as his first birthday approached, his maternal relatives began to visit the house frequently.

One day, amidst this activity,

“Please step out for a moment.”

“Yes, Madam.”

After sending the wet nurse and maids out, Jin-ho’s maternal grandmother spoke to his mother in a gentle voice.

“Is His Highness the Grand Prince still close to books?”

“He is as always, deeply engrossed in his studies.”

In response to his maternal grandmother’s question, Jin-ho’s mother answered proudly.

Upon hearing the answer, the maternal grandmother continued, holding her daughter’s hand.

“Recently, there has been much talk about the Crown Prince’s misbehavior. As a result, many rumors are circulating about His Highness the Grand Prince. Your father is gradually taking action, so His Highness the Grand Prince and you must be cautious and restrained.”

Jin-ho’s mother was shocked.

“Mother! What are you saying?”

“Do not speak of this to anyone and remain cautious and restrained.”

Not only was Jin-ho’s mother shocked, but so was Jin-ho.

‘What is this? This sounds like they want to replace the Crown Prince! Which king was it that replaced the Crown Prince in the middle of his reign?’

Lying in bed, Jin-ho desperately tried to recall.

‘The successful replacement was King Sejong, but how many others were almost replaced?’

As Jin-ho tried to remember, he frowned.

‘There are too many variables!’

In Joseon’s royal history, there were many instances where the Crown Prince’s abilities were questioned.

There were several cases where the issue of replacing the Crown Prince came to the surface, and many more that remained unresolved.

“Our Hwang, are you uncomfortable? Did you have an accident?”

Seeing the frowning baby, Jin-ho’s mother quickly checked his diaper and warned him.

“Mother, I will pretend I didn’t hear this conversation today. Please do not speak of it again.”

“...Understood.”

“I will not see you out.”

With a firm look from his mother, the maternal grandmother quietly left the room. Jin-ho’s mother, who had been watching him, sighed deeply.

“Sigh~.”

‘Is this going to turn me into a slave right after my first birthday?’

Worried about his future, Jin-ho learned when and to whom he was born at his first birthday party.

* * *

“Congratulations!”

“Congratulations!”

“Thank you.”

On the day of Jin-ho’s first birthday, people in splendid silk clothes gathered to offer their congratulations.

Each time a guest arrived, Jin-ho’s father bowed deeply and thanked them.

‘My father, a nobleman, seems to have a lot of influence. Does that make things more dangerous?’

Seeing the guests, Jin-ho was torn between being happy and worried.

‘If I bet on the wrong horse, it could be a disaster...’

“Why does our Hwang look so unhappy on such a good day?”

Seeing Jin-ho’s frowning face, his mother picked him up and checked his diaper.

“He hasn’t been fed... What’s bothering our Hwang?”

Jin-ho sighed at his mother’s question.

‘Putting other things aside, from now on, I have to live as Hwang.’

Still occasionally confused about whether he was Jin-ho, Jin-ho finally made a decision.

‘From now on, I will live as Hwang, who has Jin-ho’s memories.’

Just as Jin-ho, or rather Hwang, decided his identity, the most important person appeared.

“Ha-ha! Chongnyeong! Congratulations! Brother-in-law! Congratulations!”

“Brother-in-law, congratulations.”

Two young men in their mid-20s appeared, and all the guests who had arrived earlier stood up.

“Welcome, His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Welcome, His Highness the Grand Prince.”

Seeing the formal greetings, one of the young men raised his hand in response.

“Hey~. Nice to see you.”

The young man, whose robe fluttered as he ascended to the seat of honor, approached Hwang’s mother.

“Brother-in-law, can I hold our nephew?”

“It would be an honor, His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Taking Hwang from his mother, the Crown Prince gently played with him and looked at his face.

‘Smile! Smile!’

Hwang, held by the Crown Prince, forced a smile with great effort. Seeing Hwang’s smile, the Crown Prince laughed heartily and looked at Hwang’s father.

“Ha-ha-ha! Chongnyeong! Your son looks very intelligent, just like you!”

“Thank you, His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Don’t be so formal, brother. That’s your problem.”

The Crown Prince lightly scolded his brother, who always responded with formal politeness. After returning Hwang to his mother, the Crown Prince sat in the seat of honor, and the party resumed.

Meanwhile, Hwang was still in shock.

‘Chongnyeong! My father is Grand Prince Chongnyeong? My father is King Sejong? Then I am King Munjong, and my son is King Danjong?’

As Hwang struggled to process this shock, the party was about to start the first birthday ritual.

“Let’s see what our nephew picks!”

Following the Crown Prince’s loud voice, several items were placed in front of Hwang.

With all the guests’ attention focused, Hwang’s gaze fell on the items before him.

‘Let’s see. Brush, rice, gold, jujube, thread, wooden sword... They’re all pretty standard.’

As Hwang pondered which to choose, his gaze fixed on one spot.

His eyes were fixed on the Crown Prince’s ear, specifically the earring he was wearing.

‘Is such craftsmanship possible in this era?’

Curiosity piqued, Hwang unknowingly reached out to the Crown Prince.

“Eh!”

“Me?”

As soon as the Crown Prince held him, Hwang reached out and touched the earring.

“Earring?”

“Eh!”

Seeing Hwang touch an unexpected item, the guests began to wonder how to interpret it.

< Chapter 3: Who is Father? > End

ⓒ National Pride

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