The Path of a 21st-Century Emperor

The separation of Seonggyungwan's Grand Master from the office of President was a modest historical footnote, yet it still caught the media's eye.

With election season in full swing, no one treated it as a major story. Those who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bothered to comment mostly sighed over vanishing tradition or gossiped about internal power struggles at Seonggyungwan.

The Grand Master's faction made noise about tradition and precedent, but few people were listening.

Younger folks almost seem to welcome it?

On CampusTime, the university community board for Seonggyungwan, the mood was downright celebratory.

Browsing the board made it clear that the students of Seonggyungwan had been sitting on mountains of resentment.

"Your Majesty. President Yang has just arrived."

"Understood."

Well now. Live long enough and you really do see everything.

Sitting quietly in the reception room, Professor Yang — no, President Yang — felt the reality sink in all over again: the student he once taught was now Emperor.

No, longevity alone doesn't explain this.

A student becoming emperor only happened in times of chaos and upheaval, didn't it?

Does that make me some kind of Grand Tutor?

The disciple he had casually called Wonbum was now someone whose name he could barely speak and whose eyes he could scarcely meet. Hard to believe.

"His Majesty will enter shortly. Please rise so we may adjust your formal attire."

"Yes. Of course."

A moment later the doors opened and the man who had once been his student walked in.

"I pay my respects to His Majesty the Emperor."

"Oh, come on, Professor. Or should I say President now. Please, speak comfortably."

Honestly, I still couldn't get used to someone decades older than me treating me with formal deference.

"I cannot. How could I possibly drop formality with His Majesty?"

"Not His Majesty — just the Wonbum who used to fetch your coffee."

The history department offices at Imperial University sat on the sixteenth floor, so professors who couldn't be bothered with the elevator often sent graduate students on errands. Or simply put them to work whenever they felt like it.

"Your Majesty. You are no longer an ordinary man. You are the father of two hundred and fifty million people. Showing you proper respect is only natural."

"You've been President of Seonggyungwan for five minutes and already the place has gotten to you? The man who taught me about ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the brutal colonial rule of Taiwan and Manchuria sells out the moment he lands a fancy title?"

"Certainly not. My convictions remain unchanged."

"Then treat me the way you used to. Sitting on the throne is uncomfortable enough — at least let me enjoy a little nostalgia while I can."

"V-very well. I'll do that. That is... I shall."

"Yes. It's been a long time, Professor. President. Damn, the words stick to my tongue and I keep misspeaking."

"...Right. Wonbum. May I ask you one thing?"

"Why I suddenly asked you to take the presidency of Seonggyungwan... is that it?"

President Yang nodded.

"Because you know my secret, Professor."

"Secret?"

"That I write. You know, don't you? The author of that web novel that caused such a stir recently — that's me."

"I see. I had roughly guessed as much... but to think it was true. Then that interview the other day..."

"Embarrassing as it is, I essentially issued myself a pardon. I never intended that. I honestly never expected the content to blow up the way it did..."

"I always did think your imagination was exceptional."

"Anyway, the moment I wrote something that clashed with conventional historical views, the Grand Master of Seonggyungwan ran a scathing op-ed in the papers, didn't he?"

"Over something ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that small..."

"It started over something that small, but once I thought about it I realized this country has a problem. Respecting the imperial house is fine. I was lucky enough to be born into the Jeonju Yi lineage and grow up on the pension, so I have no personal grudge against the imperial house. But don't you find it excessively rigid?

There's an unspoken rule that anything involving the imperial house must be handled positively. Touch it critically and everyone around you starts giving you looks.

How can that be called real freedom? When even light conversation about the imperial house becomes difficult, the distance between the throne and the public only grows."

"So you want to change the imperial image... is that the idea?"

"Yes. Not the solemn father of all subjects, but a warm, approachable father. The kind of family that trades jokes now and then — isn't that the family model that fits this era? I was eighteenth in the line of succession, so even if I rattle the old imperial order, no one has standing to complain."

President Yang considered this for a moment, then nodded.

"You're right. But how exactly is the President of Seonggyungwan supposed to soften the imperial house's stiff image?"

"Well... that's for you to figure out. You're an Imperial University man. Just abolishing the bad habits Seonggyungwan has kept alive under the excuse of 'tradition' would already help reshape how people see the throne, wouldn't it?"

"Bad habits... Understood."

"And if anyone complains, just say you have the Emperor's approval. I'll rubber-stamp it after the fact. No matter how high those Seonggyungwan professors fly, it's still a university funded by the imperial house. Cut the money and see what happens. Hahaha!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will do exactly that."

By the time the election results came in — the Liberal Party securing a solo majority and the Prime Minister's reappointment confirmed — the blade of reform was already swinging freely in President Yang's hand at Seonggyungwan.

"Wow... he's really going all in."

Every administrative post that Eastern Philosophy professors had traditionally held on the side was stripped away and transferred to a proper administrative office whose authority was deliberately expanded.

The Eastern Philosophy department, which had quietly enjoyed preferential treatment in budget allocations for all sorts of reasons, was now subjected to thorough financial audits and received support only on equal footing with every other faculty.

Seonggyungwan's great reform had only just begun.