Chapter 6
King Yi Yeon heard of Heo Jun’s news and felt a surge of joy so intense it felt like he might fly.
“I was already planning to hunt him down, but I never imagined it would be this easy.”
“And it’s coming from him, no less.”
“If that’s the case, I’d better move the plan forward.”
In King Yi Yeon’s mind, after feeding his people, the next most urgent task was wiping out the plagues.
The sixteenth century, which historians would later call the dawn of modern times, was a period when population numbers equalled national power.
To raise Joseon’s strength, he needed to increase the population.
But that was no simple matter.
“If I raise a lot of children, they’ll just die. What’s the point?”
Since people married after turning fifteen, a single couple could expect at least six children over their lifetime.
Even so, the population had stagnated.
“There’s not enough food, high infant mortality, and plagues strike at random.”
Yi Yeon refused to believe the old saying that Joseon’s average lifespan was only about thirty.
He had read the records in Heo Ik’s “Sungho Sasul” and remembered them well.
“A festival was held in Jeju, and the oldest person there was one hundred and forty. There were many over a hundred.”
“After surviving the first year, they lived healthy lives free from most illnesses, except during wars.”
He figured the official statistics simply didn’t match reality.
“Even the carvings and paintings of the dead are over seventy years old, and they’re still standing.”
So next after food came plague control.
But that was also difficult.
“Damn it! To wipe out smallpox—the most terrifying plague—I first have to get a cow that caught it from the West.”
Rumors said only Western cows caught it.
Fortunately, that was a lie.
“Like saying only certain races caught the plague—complete nonsense.”
While researching the records, Yi Yeon found that “Joseon Wangjo Silok” mentioned nearly two hundred cases of “Ujil” (cow disease), also called Uyeok.
But after a major outbreak under King Jungjong, the disease disappeared.
“It came back after the Imjin War.”
In 1541, when it was raging, the book “Umayangjeoyeonyeokbyeongchiryobang” was published, and Joseon finally defeated the plague.
“Maybe some survived. If it’s Heo Jun, he can find it. Worst case, I can bring cows from China.”
Thinking he had confused Uyeok with Udu, he set the teacup down and asked his elder brother, “You know that fellow, right?”
“What excuse can I give?”
Because Heo Jun was famous enough to need a dozen excuses.
“Ugh, this is annoying!”
There was already a mountain of work ahead, so he didn’t feel like thinking about excuses.
Yi Yeon spoke bluntly.
“Word is spreading through the palace that I’m quite knowledgeable about him. I’d like to see the man himself.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty. I shall bring him at the earliest opportunity.”
“I’m counting on you.”
“You’re counting on me? That’s too much for me to handle.”
The elder brother bowed until his forehead touched the floor.
He still owed a huge debt for the earlier mistake and the warning about the historians.
Since Yi Yeon had no way of knowing that, the gesture only weighed on him.
In the memories of King Seonjo, his elder brother had become the head of the household after their parents passed away, which made the sight of the once-disciplined man bowing so deeply strangely moving.
“Why is he acting like this? Even among royal descendants, the ones who claimed they could pass the civil service exam with merit…”
He couldn’t figure out the reason, but the man didn’t seem to be plotting anything, so he moved on to the next task.
“The second matter: take the two eunuchs who must leave the palace with me and build them a place to live and chicken coops on Inghwado, the royal poultry farm. There they can’t escape even if they let the chickens roam freely.”
Unlike the real Yi Yeon’s memories, King Seonjo’s recalled chickens as wild and quick to fly.
The proverb “the dog chasing the chicken looks up at the roof” existed precisely because modern chickens were tame while their sixteenth-century Joseon ancestors still had wild blood.
That was why he had decided to keep them on Yeouido, an island in the middle of a river where escape was impossible and no top predator could reach them easily.
“I understand, Your Majesty. Still, raising ten thousand chickens and housing the eunuchs will cost a fortune. Where will the funds come from?”
“I’ll tell the Interior Office to use my private treasury.”
“Can I handle the logistics myself? I’m afraid someone might find out.”
“Why is this guy so cautious?”
The elder brother offered a plan, but Yi Yeon sensed suspicion.
In his memories, the brother was neither greedy nor helpful to others.
“That won’t do.”
“What?”
“In the future I plan to raise at least ten thousand chickens on Inghwado. Only then can I give every citizen in Han-yang one egg every day. Can you arrange that much?”
“Is that possible?”
“Don’t worry. It’s perfectly feasible. It’s just the beginning. I also plan to raise chickens on Ganghwado. What do you think then?”
“Are you seriously going to feed and clothe the entire population?”
“That’s exactly my plan.”
Yi Yeon grinned and nodded.
“Even without artificial incubation technology, Napoleon fed an entire nation chicken. A few eggs are nothing compared to that.”
In truth he wanted to feed every citizen free-range chicken like Napoleon.
But Joseon’s chickens, in Seonjo’s memory, grew slowly and stayed small.
So he decided to start with eggs.
Chickens from five or six months old until two years would lay at least one egg every two days.
Then a new question struck him.
“Damn it! What kind of native chickens did I know?”
Yi Yeon had never paid attention to poultry farming and didn’t know that after seven generations in Korea they were classified as native breeds.
“There’s one more request.”
“Speak, Your Majesty.”
“I need you to go to Ming China as an envoy.”
“I shall do as you command.”
A journey of thousands of ri was no light task.
Yet the elder brother accepted without hesitation.
He had clearly seen the confident look on his young brother’s face and decided to ride the back of a winner.
“Thank you. Still, the Ming envoys who came this time said they were delivering news that the Yu Prince had ascended the throne. It looks more like surveillance than a simple message.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Instead of heading straight to the Mo-hwa Pavilion, they entered the capital to pay condolences upon hearing of the late king’s death. What does that mean?”
“Ah… I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I hadn’t thought of that.”
At the memory, Yi Yeon bit back a curse.
“Those bastards! Who do they think they are, ordering me not to ride a litter?”
The two envoys had refused to let him ride because he had not yet received the imperial enfeoffment.
“If Lee Tak hadn’t been there, I would have walked the whole way.”
The Minister of Rites had barely stopped the awkward situation.
“Watch and learn! One day you’ll all receive my own enfeoffment.”
Anyway, Joseon now had a new king, so Ming had to be informed.
As an excuse, he could gather information, present tribute, and earn a nice profit.
Therefore, Yi Yeon would send his elder brother as envoy.
It fitted royal etiquette, and he had other tasks for him.
“When you reach Ming, the first thing is to buy their chickens and pigs.”
“What?”
“I heard Ming chickens grow fast and lay many eggs. Their pigs are huge.”
“Ah, I understand perfectly. Don’t worry. I’ll bring the best ones myself.”
“Thank you.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
* * * * *
After sending his two brothers away, Yi Yeon returned to the Gangnyeongjeon and summoned the eunuchs.
“Damn those historians!”
The original plan had been to ask the brothers to develop mines and build steel mills.
But with the historians present, such talk was impossible.
The moment word leaked that chickens were being raised, it could become a huge scandal.
“Is there no better way?”
After thinking, Yi Yeon decided to route everything through the eunuchs.
Although the king was guarded by historians, the Gangnyeongjeon—the only private sanctuary—was off limits.
“They won’t come even if eunuchs are around.”
Of course, if outsiders were invited or a banquet held, historians might appear to record everything.
All meetings with the king were official business.
“There must be some smart, skilled eunuchs in the inner palace.”
Instead of summoning the head of the inner palace, Shang-shan Jeong-ban, who caused endless trouble, Yi Yeon called the lowly fourth-rank Shang-cheak Kim Yang-bo.
The Shang-yun, Shang-cha, and Shang-yak were all untrustworthy; only this quiet, efficient man remained.
“He looks reliable. Let’s trust him for once.”
He had met Kim Yang-bo only a few times, but the eunuch always stayed alone, handling every task efficiently.
“You called, Your Majesty?”
“Come closer.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Yi Yeon waited until Kim Yang-bo knelt, then spoke in a low, firm voice.
“I have one thing for you to do.”
Kim Yang-bo lifted his head in confusion and bowed again.
“From now on, you will live apart in the Crown Prince’s Palace.”
“What?!”
Kim Yang-bo was stunned.
Since the king had not yet married, the Crown Prince’s Palace and even the Gyeongtaejeon were empty.
But it was ridiculous for a single eunuch to live there alone.
“Did I not speak clearly? I said I need you to do one thing with me!”
“Yes! Your Majesty!”
The young king’s stern tone made Kim Yang-bo’s body tremble.
Although barely ascended, the king had earned a reputation for brilliance, and something big seemed to be coming.
The sight made Yi Yeon’s face burn.
“Damn it! He’s shaking like this in this heat? Did he actually fear my words?”
He had never once scolded anyone in his life and felt guilty.
But he could not speak softly.
“This heat is disgusting.”
He stood up abruptly and continued.
“From now on, you must be extremely careful with your words. Understood?”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
—THUD!
Kim Yang-bo knocked his forehead on the heated ondol floor with a loud sound.
He had sensed something serious was happening.
That sound somehow stirred a strange solemnity in Yi Yeon.
“Why am I feeling this? I’ve never watched many historical dramas.”
He realized his emotions were running wild, but he could not name the reason.
“Whatever, no one’s watching anyway. If I just do it weirdly, what’s the harm?”
Pretending not to understand the hormonal effect of adolescence, he spoke as if he had contracted a severe case of middle-two illness.
“I am the king of this Joseon country. But you already know I am still weak. Therefore, until I gain strength, you will watch over me carefully.”
“Yes, Your Majesty! I will serve you with all my heart!”
—THUD! THUD! THUD!
Each time Kim Yang-bo’s forehead struck the floor, Yi Yeon’s excitement rose.
“I am going to do something very special with you. You probably don’t believe it. Maybe you can’t believe it. But I can do it.”
“I believe in you, Your Majesty.”
—THUD! THUD! THUD!
The sound again left Yi Yeon too excited to think straight.
“I’m losing it. Why is this happening?”
He decided to stop talking, waved his hand, and ordered, “Once you finish tending to your wound, return tomorrow.”
“Yes, Your Majesty! I obey.”
Only after Kim Yang-bo left did Yi Yeon finally let out a long sigh.
“What on earth did I do?”
Still, it was a relief.
He might have said something even more dangerous.
Feeling embarrassed, he covered his face with both hands.
“Damn it!”
A bumpy sensation from his hands.
Acne.
“I’m in adolescence.”
Yi Yeon stood there blankly, stunned.
* * * * *
Back in the eunuchs’ quarters, Kim Yang-bo still could not calm his pounding heart.
“The king cares for me so much… The king cares for me so much…”
Among the fourth-rank Shang-cheak, he had never received any particular attention.
In his hungry youth, becoming a eunuch was the only way to avoid starvation, and his sharp mind and deft hands had brought rapid promotion.
That was all.
Because he came from humble origins, he had not been appointed to a good post.
The tasks he handled involved no money and no supervision of others—just paperwork.
Yet the august king had asked him to do something together.
Kim Yang-bo bowed toward the Gangnyeongjeon where Yi Yeon was and shouted inwardly,
“Your Majesty! I will serve you with my life!”
* * * * *