Black Corporation: Joseon

“‘Request Joseon to sell’…”

The Xuande Emperor’s reaction to the Grand Secretary’s words was positive as he mulled them over.

“Certainly, if we demand it as tribute, the return gift would…”

“It must not be done!”

Suddenly, a vehement exclamation interrupted the Xuande Emperor’s words.

“Who is it! Who dares to interrupt me!”

The Xuande Emperor shouted with an enraged face at the sudden interruption.

As the Xuande Emperor failed to hide his anger, the hall froze over once again.

“Who is it!”

At the Xuande Emperor’s shout, an official with graying hair jumped forward, prostrated himself, and answered.

“Your subject, So Pyeong-sul, Director of the Six Offices of the Ministry of Rites! I risk my life to remonstrate! Requesting Joseon to sell must absolutely not be done!”

At So Pyeong-sul’s words, the ministers closed their eyes tightly.

After the great purge that had started due to the illegal outflow of firearms and gunpowder, there were no brave ministers who dared to oppose the Xuande Emperor’s words. Moreover, interrupting the emperor while he was speaking was unheard of even before the purge.

‘If we’re not careful, there might be another bloodbath…’

All the ministers and eunuchs gathered in the hall had gloomy faces. Especially, the face of the Minister of Rites already looked like that of a dead man.

‘Damn it! Why did it have to be the Ministry of Rites! You stupid fool! If you want to die, die alone!’

While the ministers and eunuchs were trembling with fear, the Xuande Emperor forcibly calmed his anger and asked.

“Why is that? If your reason is not satisfactory, I will punish you for recklessly interrupting me.”

At the Xuande Emperor’s words, So Pyeong-sul explained why it was unacceptable.

-Ming is an empire. Not just a simple empire, but the suzerain state of all under heaven.

-What is a suzerain state? It cannot be called a suzerain state simply for having vast territory and strong military power. It becomes a suzerain state because it is superior in all aspects.

-Receiving tribute is not just receiving what is lacking, but receiving the loyalty of vassal states. That’s why we give several times more in return gifts even though we know it’s burdensome.

-But trading on a state-to-state basis means recognizing the vassal state as an equal.

-Considering such a situation, it is unacceptable for the emperor to directly request a transaction from a vassal state, especially the king of Joseon. What kind of country is Joseon? As the emperor has already said, it’s not a country to be taken lightly. Showing weakness to such a country must be avoided at all costs.

“…Therefore, Your Majesty directly sending envoys to request a sale from Joseon must absolutely not be done!”

“You have a point.”

The Xuande Emperor muttered with a troubled face at So Pyeong-sul’s words. Looking at So Pyeong-sul, who was still prostrated and crying out his opposition with his whole body, the Xuande Emperor spoke.

“You may rise. I will not punish you for this incident as it was due to your loyalty.”

“Your Imperial grace is boundless. Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years!”

“Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years!”

As the Xuande Emperor showed mercy, not only So Pyeong-sul but all those in the hall praised the Xuande Emperor’s benevolence and cheered three times.

However, the Xuande Emperor showed an indifferent expression even to such enthusiastic cheering.

“Instead of shouting ‘ten thousand years,’ it would be better to think of an alternative.”

At these words, the hall instantly fell silent.

“If we follow the opinion of the Director of the Six Offices of the Ministry of Rites, we should receive three or four actual iron horses and the blueprints as tribute. But there’s a problem with the blueprints. Do you remember the promise made when the Crown Prince of Joseon came before?”

At the Xuande Emperor’s question, the Minister of Rites recalled and spoke.

“Are you referring to intellectual property rights, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, we not only receive the blueprints as tribute but must also guarantee the intellectual property rights connected to those blueprints. How should we handle this?”

At the Xuande Emperor’s question, the hall once again fell into silence.

Previously, when Hyang came to Beijing, he had solved various issues starting with the border dispute and created a joint trading company between the emperor and the Joseon royal family. At that time, the contract clearly included a clause on ‘guaranteeing intellectual property rights.’

According to the contract, even if it was tribute, when Ming made artifacts created by Joseon, they had to pay usage fees. And the emperor himself had guaranteed this.

Finally, the Xuande Emperor turned to the Grand Secretary who had come up with the idea of ‘purchase.’

“What do you think?”

“It would be unreasonable to give an answer right now. If you give me more time, I will create an answer that will fully satisfy you.”

“How long do you need?”

“At least half a month.”

“I’ll give you five days. Bring an answer within five days.”

At the Xuande Emperor’s order, the Grand Secretary bowed his head.

“I receive the Imperial command.”

After settling the matter thus, the Xuande Emperor turned to the Minister of Rites.

“The Minister of Rites should appropriately comfort the envoys from Joseon.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Then let’s end the matter of Joseon and the iron horse here, and move on to other agenda items.”

***

That evening, after finishing state affairs, the Xuande Emperor visited Chang’an Palace. The Crown Prince, Zhu Qizhen, was staying in Chang’an Palace.

“Your Majesty, have you come?”

Zhu Qizhen, who was studying with the eunuch Wang Zhen, came out and respectfully greeted the Xuande Emperor when he heard of his arrival.

Seeing the Crown Prince like this, the Xuande Emperor smiled and asked.

“So, what were you doing?”

“I was studying with the eunuch, Your Majesty.”

At Zhu Qizhen’s answer, the Xuande Emperor looked at the eunuch Wang Zhen.

“Is the Crown Prince doing well?”

“As he is inherently intelligent, he is doing very well.”

“Is that so? What is he learning now?”

“He has finished the Three Classics and is now learning the Book of Rites among the Three Rites. He is learning at a truly fast pace.”

At Wang Zhen’s answer, Zhu Qizhen’s face became confident, but the Xuande Emperor slightly furrowed his brow.

“He’s a bit slow…”

“Not at all. Considering his age, the Crown Prince is very fast.”

Despite Wang Zhen’s protest, the Xuande Emperor shook his head.

“The Crown Prince of Joseon had finished all the Four Books and Three Classics even before he was invested, and he could engage in debates without hesitation. The Crown Prince of Joseon was only 8 years old at that time! This is who the Crown Prince will have to face in the future!”

“That must be an exaggerated rumor. No matter how much of a prodigy he is…”

Wang Zhen claimed it was an exaggeration, but the Xuande Emperor shook his head.

“I say this because I saw that Crown Prince myself! When the Crown Prince of Joseon came to Beijing and faced me, he was only thirteen! Yet he was not lacking as my counterpart. And a few years later, when the King of Joseon led a personal campaign, it was said that his skillfulness in acting as regent in Hanseong was unparalleled! Crown Prince, listen!”

At the Xuande Emperor’s command, Zhu Qizhen immediately knelt and bowed his head.

“I await your command.”

“I know your abilities are excellent, but you must never neglect your studies! Because your counterpart will be that Crown Prince of Joseon! Remember this!”

At the Xuande Emperor’s order, Zhu Qizhen bowed his head and answered.

“I will engrave it in my bones and heart!”

After a few more words of admonition, the Xuande Emperor left Chang’an Palace.

Zhu Qizhen, who had returned after seeing off the Xuande Emperor, couldn’t contain his anger and swept the books off the desk with his arm.

“Argh!”

“Your Highness! Please calm yourself!”

Wang Zhen and other eunuchs tried to calm Zhu Qizhen down in response to his outburst.

But Zhu Qizhen’s anger did not subside easily.

“Damn Joseon! Damn Crown Prince of Joseon!”

“Please calm your anger. After all, they are just a vassal state, and he’s just the crown prince of a vassal state! Getting angry like this will only incur His Majesty’s wrath!”

At the eunuch Wang Zhen’s words, Zhu Qizhen began to forcibly calm his anger.

Sitting in a chair, Zhu Qizhen took rough deep breaths and spat out curses.

“Damn Joseon, damn Crown Prince of Joseon…”

***

From the time Zhu Qizhen started speaking properly, the Xuande Emperor’s standard of evaluation was Hyang.

“When the Crown Prince of Joseon was your age…”

Every time he was evaluated for learning classics and martial arts, the Xuande Emperor always started with words like that. And the ending was always the same.

“You are excellent, but the Crown Prince of Joseon was even more so. Never be lazy.”

“Just what kind of person is this Crown Prince of Joseon?”

Tired of the Xuande Emperor’s rebukes, Zhu Qizhen one day asked nearby officials about Hyang.

“The Crown Prince of Joseon is…”

And after hearing anecdotes about Hyang from the officials, Zhu Qizhen shook his head repeatedly.

“Is he really human? Do I have to face someone like this?”

Looking at the accumulated anecdotes, Zhu Qizhen became discouraged by the stories of Hyang, who far transcended the realm of ordinary people.

And when Zhu Qizhen was discouraged like this, the one who encouraged him was the eunuch Wang Zhen.

***

Wang Zhen, originally from Ulju, was a fallen scholar. After working as an instructor at his hometown’s county office, Wang Zhen was exiled for committing a crime. When the imperial palace recruited eunuchs, he castrated himself and entered the palace.

As he could read, Wang Zhen was called a teacher among the eunuchs and gained the trust of the Xuande Emperor, becoming the tutor of Zhu Qizhen.

As Wang Zhen became the tutor, he began to gain favor by flattering Zhu Qizhen while teaching him.

Especially whenever Zhu Qizhen was rebuked for his insufficient learning, Wang Zhen comforted him.

“They’re just a vassal state, and he’s just the crown prince of a vassal state. When Your Highness ascends to the throne, they will be lowly beings who will submit to you.”

***

Because Wang Zhen was like this, he comforted Zhu Qizhen with the same words this time as well.

Calming his anger under Wang Zhen’s comfort, Zhu Qizhen gritted his teeth.

“On the day I ascend to the throne, Joseon will experience the might of the emperor!”

“You will certainly do so.”

At Wang Zhen’s words, Zhu Qizhen took a deep breath and renewed his resolve.

“His Majesty is benevolent but weak! But I will not be like that!”

“You will certainly be so! You will definitely become a great emperor by doing so!”

Wang Zhen enthusiastically agreed with Zhu Qizhen’s words.

***

Ironically, the reason Zhu Qizhen came to dream of such tyranny was because of the Xuande Emperor’s praise.

When Yi Manchu and Mengtemu raised a rebellion, Sejong personally led a military campaign.

When the Xuande Emperor heard that Sejong had personally led the campaign, he greatly admired it and said the following:

“It is a shame for a monarch to sit in the palace when total effort is required to protect the royal business! Indeed it is so! I heard that Yi Seong-gye, who founded Joseon, was an amazing military commander, and his blood hasn’t gone anywhere! Hahaha!”

It would have been good if it had ended there, but the problem was the order that followed.

“How was the Yongle Emperor? Whenever the Northern Yuan caused trouble, he personally led expeditions! Tell those in charge of teaching the Crown Prince! When a country is in crisis, the monarch of a nation should take the lead and go to the frontlines!”

In the end, it was the Xuande Emperor who stained Zhu Qizhen with tyranny.

***

On the third day after meeting with the Xuande Emperor in Beijing, the envoys left Beijing.

This was because there were no urgent diplomatic issues between the two countries that needed to be dealt with, except for the ‘Dragon’s Path’ problem.

“I understand that this time it was not Joseon’s intention, so I will not make an issue of it. However, if such incidents become frequent, I cannot help but doubt Joseon’s intentions. I have written this in the imperial edict, but I also tell the envoys to convey to the king of Joseon that he should keep this especially in mind.”

At the Xuande Emperor’s warning, Lee Maeng-gyun bowed his head and answered.

“I receive the Imperial command.”

After receiving the Xuande Emperor’s edict and boarding the ship heading to Jemulpo, Lee Maeng-gyun gathered all his strength and spat phlegm towards the sea.

“Khaak~ Ptui!”