The Three Kinds of Kings in Daesong
In Daesong, there are three kinds of kings. The first are imperial clansmen who failed to inherit the throne. These un-crowned royals receive the title of qinwang—a princely rank—to preserve the dignity and authority befitting their bloodline. No great merits are required; it's simply granted because it would be unseemly for the emperor's kin to rank below ordinary officials.
The second are founding merits who are posthumously elevated to kingship. They served as high ministers during life, but their contributions to the realm were so immense that they are honored as kings after death. Naturally, since it's a posthumous title, they can pass down their living rank to their heirs—but not the kingship itself.
The last are the seven first-class founding merits who received their kingship while alive. Even among them, ranks like Ilja Wang or Ija Wang are distinguished, but they all share one key trait: hereditary succession is permitted. That's why the descendants of these first-class founding merits are called wangja or wangson—princes and grandsons of kings.
"To meet the wangson of other royal houses in person! What an honor!"
Aside from those two Ilja Wangs, the first-class founding merits are scattered across the Central Plains, so—as Jang Yeon-hwa said—mingling among wangson from different houses is exceedingly rare. Why would a wangson bother leaving their own estate to seek out another? A mere flick of the fingers brings a swarm of attendants; a single word delivers anything desired.
No other wangson roams the Central Plains like me, bouncing from crisis to crisis.
"I too am honored to meet a wangson renowned for his wisdom. I'd heard that His Highness Dong-gu Wang has a granddaughter versed in the teachings of the Central Plains and the customs of foreign lands, but I never dreamed I'd meet her like this."
Putting aside my bitterness, I offered Jang Yeon-hwa a formal clasped-hands salute. There was no need to seek out other wangson, but now that we'd crossed paths, ignoring her was impossible. A wangson might be far from the throne, but royalty is royalty. Besides, from the circumstances, this wasn't a chance encounter—she'd sought me out.
"Hehe, I guess my reputation has spread all the way to Kaepyeong."
At my compliment, Jang Yeon-hwa scratched her cheek sheepishly but grinned wide. In truth, the rumors in Kaepyeong were more like, "Dong-gu Wang has this weird granddaughter over twenty who hasn't even been betrothed, let alone married—she's buried in her books." But for her honor's sake, I left that out. Being scholarly was spot-on, after all.
"I've heard plenty about you two back in Hangzhou too! Han Un, the great hero devoted to the Central Plains' peace! And Ak I-yeon, his fiancée and the beauty of the Waning Moon Waters, another great hero!"
Evidently pleased by my words, her already high-energy voice pitched even higher and bolder. For a granddaughter of Dong-gu Wang, her personality was downright anomalous. His house was known for sly, commerce-savvy types like him, yet here was this bundle of vitality.
Did she take after her mother?
Looking closer, even her features showed little trace of Dong-gu Wang. She must strongly resemble her mother over her father.
"Ah! I've been rambling on about myself!"
After chattering nonstop, Jang Yeon-hwa cleared her throat lightly and bowed deeply to us.
"Forgive me, but could you spare me a moment!?"
"Pardon?"
"A moment... of your time?"
"Yes!"
Her sudden request left Ak I-yeon and me exchanging awkward glances. We'd come for a cozy date, and now it looked like we'd stumbled into a royal summit. A wangson living in Hangzhou having her fame reach Kaepyeong wasn't ordinary. Her reputation as the "weird bookworm granddaughter" had solid backing—she was clearly no average person. And Jang Yeon-hwa proved it herself.
"Knowledge from books and knowledge from seeing with your own eyes are worlds apart! I'd love to venture beyond Hangzhou and tour the world, but Grandfather says I'd drop dead in three days flat!"
"I... see."
Her grandfather's brutal words stunned me momentarily, but I could see why he'd say it. Even I, after barely an hour, felt my sanity fraying from her personality. How must Dong-gu Wang feel, watching over her for twenty-plus years? He probably worried she'd meet disaster the moment she stepped out.
"Of course, Hangzhou is paradise on earth, where merchants from every corner gather! Staying here lets you grasp half the world, but the other half? You'd never know it in a lifetime!"
I glanced at Ak I-yeon as Jang Yeon-hwa launched into another torrent. We'd carved out time for a date, only to get snagged by this motormouth. I couldn't blame Ak I-yeon for being annoyed.
"You're right. Books are a way to connect with the world, but they can't compare to experiencing it firsthand. And for those who've only learned from books, the longing can be even more intense."
But Ak I-yeon showed no displeasure—instead, she nodded along sympathetically.
"Y-Yes! You get it!"
Jang Yeon-hwa's eyes sparkled with emotion at Ak I-yeon's response.
"Just like Great Hero Ak I-yeon says, books are a sip from the lake! It quenches thirst for a moment, but leaves you craving the vast waters before you! People don't understand. Books are just the author's subjective views at the end of the day, yet they act like reading one means you know everything!"
"Books are merely one tool among many. Never the end goal."
"Exactly!"
As the two fell into easy rapport, I quietly sipped my tea. Come to think of it, Ak I-yeon had once been confined to Akwangjeo, unable to venture out. She'd devoured every book there, her yearning for the world growing wildly. In a way, she and Jang Yeon-hwa shared that experience. Suddenly, inserting myself felt awkward. Butting into a shared pain? That'd kill the vibe.
Seeing the world firsthand doesn't even help.
I sighed inwardly, sipping bitterly. Unlike these two lamenting their book-bound views, I'd seen far too much—more than I ever wanted, confirmed by my own eyes and ears.
But I held my tongue. Jang Yeon-hwa was thrilled just to have someone to talk to; flaunting my worldly experience would be suicidal.
"That's why I took the liberty of asking Great Hero Han Un for a chat! You've gathered more experiences than anyone in the Central Plains!"
Ah.
Before I could speak, she'd zeroed in on me.
"You're too kind. I've merely scrambled to handle crises as they come—no real knowledge or wisdom to speak of."
I shook my head with a forced smile under her gaze. The "wisdom" I'd gained was that any five humans include at least one scumbag. My "experiences"? The Central Plains are vast, and so are the scumbags. Nothing worth sharing.
"No! You've resolved every incident in your path, immersing yourself in every region, culture, regional ties, and bloodlines! That's an immense font of knowledge and experience!"
No, it's not...
Her overpraise nearly brought tears. Resolved everything? Only after twisting myself into knots, screaming internally, and pulling every string as a wangson and Jwa-cheom Do-eosa. Experienced every culture and tie? Pretty words for getting battered as an outsider everywhere. Every region had incidents; cultures varied, so did the crimes; I had to police corrupt officials tangled in local cliques and smash murim clans bound by blood.
Fuck.
Tears pricked my eyes for real. If it looks so great, you try it. The words surged to my throat, but I swallowed them desperately. She'd probably snatch my badge and bolt if I snapped.
"So, Great Hero... Could I ask about the things you've seen wandering the Central Plains? The questions burning in my mind?"
Her voice turned cautious, a far cry from before. Right—that was the pitch.
For someone like Jang Yeon-hwa, limited to books and Hangzhou merchants' tales, I was a walking treasure goblin.
"Of course it's not just a request! It might be nothing to you, but I'd offer proper compensation—"
"Sure."
"...Pardon?"
She blinked, startled as I nodded mid-sentence.
"Pay the price, and I'll talk all you want. It's no trouble."
This was genuine. Jang Yeon-hwa might be bubbly and free-spirited, but her "quest" was a walk in the park. Spill my stories or answer curiosities? No sweat—just talk. The easiest request I'd gotten roaming the Central Plains.
If I'm stuck granting a favor anyway, might as well pick the comfy one.
Truth be told, the moment she latched on, I gave up on a clean escape. My track record: every encounter comes with work. If the work was playing storyteller? Totally bearable.
The moment Great Hero Han Un agreed, I let out an involuntary cheer.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
I bowed repeatedly in gratitude. If Great Hero Ak I-yeon hadn't been beside him, I might've grabbed his hands.
Finally!
My heart pounded, laughter bubbling up. He was a wangson like me, but unlike me, a wandering eccentric who'd toured the entire Central Plains. Nobly born yet homeless like a vagabond—unique, but his hard-earned knowledge was rock-solid. From northern Habuk to southern Yunnam, eastern Jiangnan to western Gansu—he'd been everywhere.
Testimony from someone who's seen it firsthand!
This beat ancient books or half-bluster merchant tales by miles.
"Great Hero! May I start asking questions right away?"
"Of course."
"I've heard Yunnam still holds remnants of the old Dali Kingdom's traditions. What's the difference between Yunnam, where Dali once stood, and Wolnam with its independent dynasty!?"
"...Pardon?"
This was my chance to learn what no one-sided account could teach!