Part 1: Min Mu-jil's Life in Kaesong
Arriving at the Hojo offices, I found my superior, Hojo Jeonseo Yi Min-do, already preparing to start official business with the other officials. I wasn't late, but they were already getting to work? Well, greetings first.
"Jeonseo Dageum, this lowly one is Min Mu-jil, the newly appointed Jusansa."
"The second son of Jeongdang Munhak Dongpandopyeonguisa Dageum Min Je. Indeed, welcome."
My father had earned a promotion of his own and was now preparing to head to Ming as a summer envoy. Father and son both advancing—a fine thing. Afterward, I exchanged greetings with the various officials, and a familiar face caught my eye. That guy over there—I remembered him criticizing me for killing Jeong Mong-ju and then retiring to the countryside. Loyalty to Goryeo really is cheap, huh? A shelf life of less than two years? Shouldn't it at least last three years of mourning? I'd heard that after Joseon was founded, most of them flipped sides and served the new court in no time. Seeing this proved it wasn't just empty talk. Father had mentioned that unlike the exams in the first year of the nation, this year's had been a roaring success. This moment confirmed it was no lie. Probably because Zhu Yuanzhang recognized the Joseon dynasty and enfeoffed Yi Seong-gye. With the orthodox Middle Kingdom dynasty's approval secured. They said Yi Seong-gye was thrilled at the enfeoffment—likely for this reason. Anyway, seeing that bastard's rank—same Jusansa as me—really grated. If I had my past life's temper, I'd have sneered, "If your loyalty to Goryeo only lasted two years, how many years will your loyalty to Joseon last?" But I was keeping quiet out of fear of Yi Bang-won. Plus, no matter how I looked at it, Jeong Do-jeon had sent me here to keep tabs on me. When would this precarious life end? I might die of frustration at this rate.
After that, I sat at my desk and got to work. Hojo duties weren't that tough. I knew classical Chinese, and I wasn't lacking in economic knowledge. Plus, I'd slaved—no, studied as a grad student—under some mad professor for years. Anyway, I decided to focus on work for the time being. Working quietly like that, my superior Yi Min-do didn't seem to view me poorly. He even told me now and then to take it easy. Still, better to work hard. That way I'd promote faster and get to Dongnae. I picked up my brush again and dove back in.
Then one day, as I was leaving the palace, I overheard that Jusansa bastard badmouthing me to someone else. Calling me an ignorant brute. I hate being called ignorant more than anything. I snapped and confronted him right then. Time to vent some stress.
"How smart are you to go calling others ignorant? Quite the genius, are we? So why did a retired gentleman like you crawl back into office?"
"What?"
"Just curious. Why did you bend your principles?"
The bastard replied, "His Majesty has received enfeoffment from Ming. Is it not proper to serve him? You call that a question?"
"Then let me ask one thing. The way you talk, it sounds like if Ming hadn't enfeoffed him, His Majesty wouldn't be a legitimate sovereign. So are you a subject of this land, Joseon, or of Ming? If you love Ming so much, go serve the Ming Emperor there. Why stay here? Get lost to Ming. I'll even cover your travel expenses."
He trembled with rage. "You ignorant fool—don't you know the rites of the tributary system?"
"Rites of the tributary system? Please. The tributary relationship is just a survival strategy for our small Joseon against mighty Ming. Go beyond survival principles and get swayed by it, and it's nothing but dogmatism and stubbornness. That's why clowns like Yun In-im and Yi Chu run to Ming spouting nonsense."
He shut his mouth tight. The Yun In-im and Yi Chu imprisonments—that was a powerful weapon to silence the moderate Goryeo holdouts. They couldn't resolve things domestically, so they scurried to Ming begging to deal with Yi Seong-gye, even lying that he planned to attack Ming to provoke intervention. Straight-up traitors. The fallout was massive. Radical officials launched merciless purges against the moderates, leading to the Zongqi Rebellion that plagued Joseon. Petitions for extreme punishment of those involved still poured in. No wonder he clammed up. I could say that without repercussions. I'd calculated it. Ming? Zhu Yuanzhang's atrocities were so extreme no one cared. They'd been screwing us over since late Goryeo anyway. Father said they had no choice but to placate him, and the other ministers agreed. No issue, especially not with Jeong Do-jeon. Sure enough, the guy just glared, muttered it wasn't like that, and fled. Stress relieved.
I started on my way again when—
"Still the same fiery spirit, Mu-jil."
That voice?
"Park Eun? What are you doing here?"
It was my friend Park Eun. Famous for his later implication in Sim On's case, but we were close. The Min family had introduced him to Yi Bang-won, and he'd been impeached for ties to Min Mu-gu and me during our clan's purge. No surprise we were tight.
"Thanks to your father's recommendation, I'm back in court. They say you've changed, but you're still blurting out whatever's on your mind. Careful, or it could get dangerous."
"You be careful."
He chuckled. I warned Park Eun because he was Lee Seok's nephew—his mother was Lee Seok's sister. Jeong Do-jeon's target.
"Worst case, exile to the provinces."
Not wrong, but bold. "Who's the guy with you?"
"Someone I met here. Thought he'd suit you. Meet Heo Jo."
The Heo Jo from Sejong's era? He introduced himself, and Park Eun explained: disciple of Gwon Geun. Whoa, Heo Jo was Gwon Geun's student? News to me. He looked as stern as ever. But why would I get along with that stickler? Anyway, reuniting with Park Eun after so long, we grabbed drinks and caught up.
Meanwhile, while Min Mu-jil chatted with Park Eun and Heo Jo, Yi Min-do went to see Jeong Do-jeon.
Jeong Do-jeon eyed him. "So, how's the new arrival, Min Mu-jil?"
"More capable than expected. Thought a former military man would be weak on finance and math, but he's excellent."
"Any signs of faction-building?"
"Far from it—he barely talks to the other Jusansa. Does his job and goes home. Like a total loner. Though something amusing happened."
"Amusing?"
Yi Min-do recounted Min Mu-jil's words, and Jeong Do-jeon burst out laughing. "Entertaining."
"His words were radical. Should I reprimand him?"
"Spot on, point by point. No reprimand. Leave him be. Now go."
After Yi Min-do left, Jeong Do-jeon mused. "Proficient in finance, math, and military affairs. Min Je raised his sons well. A loner, though—means he won't give any openings. Interesting. And his thinking's solid."
Jeong Do-jeon fully agreed with Min Mu-jil on Ming: tributary rites were mere survival for a small state against a giant. The balance of power could shift anytime.
"If he weren't Min clan or Prince Jeongan, we'd get along fine. Pity. No helping it."
Then he turned to reports on the Jurchens. The northeastern Jurchens were being successfully appeased. Jeong Do-jeon leveraged Yi Seong-gye's fame among them for ongoing diplomacy, while preparing military suppression if needed. Pirates were handled by provincial commanders, so focus stayed on Jurchens. Even those at odds with Jeong Do-jeon agreed—no opposition in court. "Ten thousand Jurchens united could conquer the world." Everyone feared their unification after Goryeo's experience: they'd banded to drive Song south of the Yangtze and lord over Goryeo as suzerain. Preventing that by dividing them was consensus policy. But Jeong Do-jeon had ulterior motives: control them to threaten Zhu Yuanzhang. Better than endlessly flattering that nasty-tempered tyrant—mobilize Jurchens to sweep Liaodong. That would end Ming's disdain. He kept it secret; reveal after mastery. Thus pondering, he reviewed military reforms and other issues.
Meanwhile, Min Mu-jil parted from Park Eun and returned home, lost in thought. Park Eun and Heo Jo—decent fellows. No need to avoid them. Heo Jo especially thought well of him for pirate suppression merits. Fine by me. But I worried about my brother cozying up to someone lately: Yi Suk-beon. Later Taejong's right-hand man, spearheading our clan's purge. I'd told Min Mu-gu to stay away, but he ignored me. "He has ambition." Ambition? Just arrogant. I wanted zero ties with Yi Suk-beon—distance myself maximally. What could I do? Hang with my few friends and work.
I kept going to the office. That Jusansa avoided me now. Good—he annoyed me too. No fallout from my words, as expected. Everyone despised Zhu Yuanzhang's bullying. But this was just the start. Next year his real arrogance ramps up. Deal with it when it comes. Not my problem—no Ming trips or diplomacy for me. I continued at Hojo.
Time passed: June 1394. Nine months plus since becoming Hojo Jusansa. Quiet life. Nation had upheavals; personally too. Busy year, with more brewing.
"Husband, what are you thinking about?"
Here she comes. My partner in that big personal event: marriage. My wife was from the Cheongju Han clan—Han Yeo-ul, daughter of Han Sang-hwan, three years my junior. Yi Bang-won must've considered looks; she was stunning. Pure yet alluring, mysteriously so. Crucially, unlike Min Da-yeon, no fierceness—purely kind. Knowing my fear of Da-yeon, he'd picked gentle. Grateful. After wedding, we split off; now living separately. Easy, since Father approved my desire for independence—not being eldest helped. Marriage for independence, but she's so good I treat her well. She dotes too. Smiles brightly at me; I say it's pretty, so she always does. Thankful.
"Just random thoughts, wife."
"Is that so? Isn't today the day we visit Father?"
"Not that."
Reflecting on life so far. Right—time for Father's. Min Da-yeon was pregnant; family gathering to celebrate. Didn't want to go—that kid's surely the detestable Crown Prince Yangnyeong. But Da-yeon scares me. Have to. Independence doesn't change that. I packed gifts and headed with Yeo-ul to Father's.