The World Is Not Equal
July 3, 1567.
In the Gyeongbokgung Palace's Geunjeongjeon, after the coronation ceremony, Yi Yeon had not stepped out of the Gangnyeongjeon since the next morning.
His head throbbed as if it might split open.
Sunlight filtering through translucent hanji bathed the room in a soft glow.
With a groan, he forced himself upright and gulped down the water from a brass bowl.
It was real...
Yi Yeon pressed his temples with two fingers and murmured softly.
Last night, someone had called his name. He had woken up, been dragged away before he could fully regain his senses, and somehow endured the coronation in a daze.
His head spun like a top.
The endless memories trickled in like a nightmare, chaotic and confusing.
Still, it was a blessing.
Without them, the coronation would have been a disaster, and he might never have learned of the crisis at hand.
So what now?
Yi Yeon hurriedly pulled out his hidden soul transfer and stared at it in awe.
He had been struck by lightning directly, yet he was whole and untouched.
He carefully tucked the soul transfer into the deepest corner of his drawer and meticulously checked the situation.
At least I'll watch and wait for now...
The memories, tangled like dissociative disorder, would take time to untangle, so he decided to observe first.
* * *
Unaware of any of this, the ministers had been pressing the eunuchs since morning at the Geunjeongjeon.
"What are you all doing? Hurry and escort His Majesty!"
"Forgive me, my lords. No matter how many times we call, he does not respond."
"Could it be that His Majesty is gravely ill?"
"He said it is not so."
"Ugh!"
One of the ministers snapped, irritation thick in his voice.
He had ascended the imperial bed, received obeisance from the hundred officials, granted a general amnesty to criminals below the rank of death, and accepted the queen dowager's regency, only to withdraw in a daze and never appear again.
He could not go to the Gangnyeongjeon where the king actually was.
Only the king himself could enter there; no one else in the land could.
"That will do for today. Let's visit tomorrow instead."
Yeonguijeong Lee Jun-gyeong's words drew a scowl from Jauijeong Sim Tong-won.
He had not supported the young prince, Haewon-gun Yi Yeon, so his anxiety ran high.
'One wrong move and a coup could erupt. I must move first before the others stir.'
Sim Tong-won had been called a genius since childhood, so he read situations like an open book.
He was the maternal great-grandfather of Queen Insun, who had become queen dowager.
Yet he took this affair seriously.
The world was already unstable because of the literati purges that had begun under Sejo, making even the throne precarious.
Noticing this, Lee Jun-gyeong stepped closer.
"Are you unwell?"
"No."
"But your expression..."
"What exactly is wrong with my expression?"
"You look quite unwell."
"Really? I rushed out after breakfast, so I feel a bit off."
"Then go rest at once. At your age, even a minor ailment could turn serious."
'Damn it, what an insufferable old man.'
Sim Tong-won ground his teeth inwardly.
If it weren't for him, the current ruler would be the one he wanted, and everything would have been smooth.
But his scheming had turned it all to dust.
"Thank you for your concern. Then let's go together."
"Very well."
The two men, of the same age yet on opposing sides, exchanged respectful bows before leaving the Geunjeongjeon.
Each harboring different ambitions.
* * *
The next morning.
Yi Yeon rose early, tidied himself, and headed for the queen dowager's residence.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty has entered."
"Tell him to come in."
Following the eunuch's guidance into the queen dowager's quarters, Yi Yeon offered the proper morning greetings as remembered.
"Did you rest well last night?"
"I was worried and could not sleep. How about you, Your Majesty?"
"As you see, I am fine for now."
"It is a great relief."
The queen dowager, who had never left her last words or taken another step, sighed deeply while wiping her chest.
If he faltered, her own future would darken too, so she had worried all night.
"Still, what should be done?"
"What do you mean, Your Majesty?"
"There have been requests from the ministers to cut the number of internal servants and eunuchs in half."
Yi Yeon closed his eyes and thought.
'So that's why Seonjo became a reaper...'
In the memories, Seonjo had been exceptionally intelligent, yet fearful.
Because of this, he had never even considered wanting to be king.
'That's why he never wore the appropriate cap.'
In the tales, it was said he avoided the cap worn by those who had usurped power because he respected the king, but that was not the reason.
He had been suspicious as well.
That man had become king.
In a Joseon where power was seized without hesitation by the abundant literati, and where the nation was one of the top ten powers by population yet still suffered starvation every spring.
After thinking, Yi Yeon opened his eyes and spoke courteously.
"It would be best to follow the ministers' wishes."
"Your Majesty is very kind. But if we dismiss them, they will be pitiful. These are people who do not know the ways of the world; once driven from the palace, they will barely survive."
The queen dowager's heart ached.
There were ties among the internal servants and eunuchs she managed, so the ministers' demand to cut them in half did not sit well.
But there was nothing she could do.
Despite being appointed regent, she was low-profile and had been tormented by Queen Munjeong's power, so she had never involved herself in state affairs.
Even her own brother-in-law, King Myeongjong, had passed away without issue.
Now, with the threads snapped, no one but her legal son, Yi Yeon, could protect her.
Sensing the queen dowager's plight through Seonjo's memories, Yi Yeon spoke at last.
"I will handle that myself."
"Will you truly do so, Your Majesty?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After morning greetings to the queen dowager, Yi Yeon returned to the Gangnyeongjeon and let out a long sigh.
The situation was far more serious than he had imagined.
'If I'm not careful, I might become a reaper too.'
He had cursed Seonjo as a fool while reading alternative histories and researching him, yet now that he was here, nothing came to mind.
Unlike Ming, where royal power was weak, Joseon had suddenly gained a king.
He was young and not the eldest son, so he lacked support networks.
Therefore, he must tread carefully.
'If I slip up, I might die without achieving anything.'
A strange premonition rose with him.
A fierce anger boiled deep in his chest.
He shot to his feet and shook his head vigorously.
"No! No! Get out!"
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Yi Yeon slapped his own cheeks mercilessly until his eyes blazed.
In the moment he was overwhelmed by the memories of a timid Seonjo, a surge of resentment and fierce defiance rose with the feelings of defeat.
"Damn it! If it comes to that, I'll wipe them all out!"
Yi Yeon clenched his fist until his lips bled from biting them.
"It won't help. They're just spouting Confucius and Mencius. What are you afraid of?"
Yi Yeon recalled the events from his previous life and compared them to the fragmented memories of Seonjo.
A world as miserably poor as it was in the past.
It was not a remark made by someone who had lived in a country that became a developed nation after colonialism, like Korea, or in the prosperous United States.
This era between the Middle Ages and the early modern period was one of widespread poverty across the globe, not just Joseon.
Because of it, Joseon, with its large population and reformed national system, entered the top ten powers of the world, yet it was a land where people died of hunger every spring.
"First things first, we must solve the food problem."
The best solution would have been to make fertilizer from the 78 percent nitrogen in the air.
But that was impossible right now.
"Then there is only one way."
Yi Yeon wiped the blood trickling from his lip and smiled thinly.
* * *
When the ministers submitted their petitions, the queen dowager, sitting behind the screen, accepted them.
Yi Yeon, seated on the imperial bed, nodded his head.
"Granted."
"Your Majesty's virtue is boundless."
"Your Majesty's virtue is boundless."
The ministers smiled and offered their respects.
The proposal they had brought forth had passed smoothly, so they could barely hide their joy.
After the audience, Yi Yeon, claiming a headache, postponed the evening court and returned to the Gangnyeongjeon.
It was to avoid being questioned, as his memories of Seonjo were imperfect.
Yet none of the ministers showed any displeased expression.
Because they had achieved their wishes.
"My lord, it seems this nation will be led by our literati from now on."
"Of course it should be."
"Though young, His Majesty follows the law, so there is only prosperity left for Joseon."
"Indeed. With Your Majesty so wise, Your Majesty's virtue will be fulfilled."
The joyful ministers chatted as Lee Jun-gyeong clicked his tongue.
"Aren't you worried at all?"
"What do you mean?"
"His Majesty has a severe headache, yet you show no concern?"
"The Chief Eunuch, Deputy Eunuch, and Vice Deputy Eunuch all said there is nothing wrong. What is there to worry about?"
"Ugh!"
Angry, Lee Jun-gyeong turned and exited the Geunjeongjeon, only for Sim Tong-won to chuckle loudly.
He had tried to place someone else in Yi Yeon's position to seize power, but had failed.
So his worry had been mountain-high, yet the situation looked more like a blessing in disguise.
How could he not laugh?
It felt as if ten years of gallstones had been washed away.
"Do you know?"
"What?"
"Yesterday His Majesty threw out the wet nurse who was begging him to enter in an ox cart."
"Ah, that one? I heard she was carried on foot."
"Seeing how he accepted our advice so readily, it seems he values us more than his relatives."
"Still, we must be careful."
Lee Jun-gyeong, who had been speaking with Sim Tong-won, turned his gaze to the man leaving and continued.
"My lord, that overly naive eunuch must be thoroughly warned. One way or another, his fate is uncertain."
"Indeed. Let's return at once and handle internal discipline first."
* * *
While this continued, Yi Yeon ordered a eunuch to summon his brothers.
The wet nurse's suspicion had led to a strong dismissal, but with no trustworthy people left, he could only call those who shared memories of living together.
"I don't know! Do as you like."
He spoke that way, but Yi Yeon hardened his resolve.
If either brother betrayed him, he could be deposed.
But if successful, he could solidify his power in one stroke, so he decided to take the risk.
He was also impatient and did not want to linger in this state.
Yi Yeon waited for his brothers in the Manchunjeon between the Gangnyeongjeon and the Geunjeongjeon.
"Your Majesty, Prince Haewon-gun and Prince Haneung-gun have arrived."
"Let them in."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After receiving the brothers' greetings, Yi Yeon smiled brightly and beckoned.
"Come closer, brothers."
"Please lower your voices, Your Majesty."
"We cannot bear it, Your Majesty."
Seeing his brothers' appearances different from the memories, Yi Yeon sensed the terror of power.
He poured them tea himself and brought up the current topic.
"It is said a mission arrived from Ming. How was it?"
"They are Jermu-gwan Heoguk and Gisa-jung Wi Si-ryang. It is said their character is decent."
"Why did they come?"
"They came to proclaim the ascension edict of the new emperor."
'Why so fast?'
Yi Yeon asked while pretending not to know, though he did.
It was to gauge how swiftly news traveled inside the palace.
'I must be careful.'
The more information he received, the more he realized caution was essential.
Because he already knew what the envoys had said.
'They really do have exceptional memories, just as the old tales claimed.'
Moreover, their information transmission outstripped that of the twenty-first century.
Therefore, he judged it impossible to hide his intentions.
So Yi Yeon decided to speak plainly.
"Brothers, I do not know how you feel, but many commoners starved to death last spring as well. It is truly heartbreaking."
"Such a thing cannot be helped. Do not concern yourself, Your Majesty."
The eldest brother stepped forward to comfort him, but Yi Yeon shook his head.
"No. Now that I am king of this land, I cannot bear to see such things. So, I ask for your help."
"Speak freely, Your Majesty."
"I will follow your will with all sincerity."
The brothers, now brothers-in-law to a king who had only just ascended, were afraid.
Though weak, they feared that if he willed it, he could erase them entirely.
This was the history of Joseon up to that point.
Therefore, they could only watch.
Yet the brother showed no sign of intending to employ them.
Their hearts raced wildly.
To the two brothers, Yi Yeon spoke calmly, as if it were nothing.
"I ask that you raise chickens for me."
"What?!"
"Chickens?"
The brothers' eyes widened like those of a startled chicken as they stared at him.
Yi Yeon nodded his head.
* * *