Soyosan's Hidden Card
Part 1—No Peaceful Days in the Joseon Royal Court. I wasn't heading to Soyosan alone. I was bringing our hidden card, Seong Seok-rin.
Seong Seok-rin. Yi Seong-gye's most favored retainer. In fact, even when Yi Seong-gye was in a rage, he'd calm down the moment Seong Seok-rin appeared. And this man was a fellow exam passer from my father's generation, so I knew him as well.
Yi Bang-won rarely used Seong Seok-rin. The man was over sixty, and one of the few remaining loyalists to Yi Seong-gye—practically the only one. But things were too urgent this time, so we called on him. And Seong Seok-rin himself had been shocked to hear Yi Seong-gye was fasting and volunteered to help right away.
Come to think of it, wasn't Seong Sam-mun of the Six Martyrs from his clan? I couldn't recall exactly which branch, but anyway. I'd love to meet Seong Sam-mun someday.
We arrived at Soyosan and saw Yi Seong-gye right away. He looked at me and said,
"You again?"
"I'm not alone, Your Highness."
Then Seong Seok-rin entered and greeted him.
"Seok-rin, my boy. What brings you here?"
"I heard Your Highness had forsaken food. Please, think of your health."
Seong Seok-rin immediately knelt and bowed his head low. Yi Seong-gye hesitated, mumbling awkwardly.
There were levels to favoritism, it seemed. He'd berate me as "you rascal," but he couldn't even say that to Seong Seok-rin. He wasn't even angry—just standing there awkwardly.
A moment later, Yi Seong-gye said,
"Fine, since Seok-rin asks, I'll eat rice. But no liquor or meat."
Wait, what was the difference? A man who loved meat so much—what would he eat without it? It reminded me suddenly of King Sejong, who couldn't eat without meat. Yi Seong-gye and Sejong had similar tastes. Well, Sejong was his grandson, so that made sense.
Then he said he had business with Seong Seok-rin and told me to step out and fetch some food. So I did, and when I returned,
"This isn't your handiwork, is it? It's mediocre."
The old man had a nose like a ghost.
So I offered the dish Yi Seong-gye loved: braised short ribs. His absolute favorite. It was a high-end dish from this era, part of the palace cuisine, though a bit rustic—I'd upgraded it, and he couldn't get enough.
"Isn't this meat? I don't want it."
He was really committed. I'd even amplified the aroma on purpose. But why did his eyes keep drifting back to the ribs?
Then Yi Seong-gye glared at me, grinding his teeth.
"Don't send just you next time—tell that Bang-won rascal to come himself! Otherwise, I won't yield! Take that food and get out!"
My secret weapon and even Seong Seok-rin had failed. Yi Bang-won really needed to come in person. But something felt off. This was the man who'd fled here because he couldn't stand the sight of Yi Bang-won. Was he lulling us into complacency for a run to the Northeast Garrison? No, that was already sealed off, and Yi Seong-gye knew it well. Just recently, he'd grumbled to me that I was too thorough—it was frustrating. That meant no escape routes left.
Yi Seong-gye wasn't a fool. Especially not on military matters. He wouldn't start a rebellion like the Inspectorate Uprising without even a slim chance. Right now, it'd be cut down before it began.
So what was his game? I needed to tell Yi Bang-won.
I went with Seong Seok-rin to Yi Bang-won and relayed Yi Seong-gye's words. Yi Bang-won clutched his head, groaning in agony, then abruptly ended the morning assembly and headed to Soyosan.
He urged Yi Seong-gye to eat meat and drink, but
"If you serve the Buddha as I do, Bang-won, then I'll eat meat and drink again!"
Yi Bang-won couldn't accept that. The man who flew into a rage at the mere mention of Buddhism—worship the Buddha?
At that, Yi Bang-won offered to cancel the anti-Buddhist policy. Probably just temporarily.
"After I'm dead? You insolent pup—you wish your father dead soon, eh?"
"No, Father. Long life to you."
"Why do you keep calling me Father? Didn't you become Bang-gwa's adopted son? I've never had a son like you."
He was extra prickly today. He'd just called himself "your father" earlier, now denying it. Was this all to chew out Yi Bang-won?
Seong Seok-rin and I kept pleading, and I presented the ribs again. Yi Seong-gye swallowed hard, visibly conflicted. Not a child, honestly.
Then,
"Since Seok-rin asks so earnestly, I'll eat the meat."
He'd wanted it bad but needed an excuse—blaming Seong Seok-rin worked.
Yi Seong-gye devoured the ribs with relish. He must've craved them fiercely.
"Delicious. Even if it annoys me."
Then he turned to me.
"I like you, then hate you."
"What do you mean?"
"You know better than anyone!"
He told everyone but Yi Bang-won to leave. What were they about to discuss?
Once Seong Seok-rin and Min Mu-jil were gone, Yi Seong-gye glared at Yi Bang-won.
Yi Seong-gye knew full well it was impossible to raise an army from the Northeast Garrison now. The Six Garrisons (newly set up along the Tumen River) had alert troops waiting, all commanders loyal to Yi Bang-won. So he'd abandoned military action and come to Soyosan as a protest. A show of "I won't acknowledge you as king, Bang-won—I can't even look at you."
But this anti-Buddhist policy—eradicating nationwide Buddha worship and closing temples—had flipped his lid. He'd summoned Yi Bang-won in a fury.
Yi Seong-gye was a devout Buddhist from the start. Joseon's scholars mostly despised Buddhism, but he'd never intended to follow their anti-Buddhist push—he ignored it outright. Even Jeong Do-jeon, who hated it, never dared suggest it to him.
With recent tragedies—favorite retainers dead, betrayals everywhere—he'd grown disillusioned with life and leaned harder on Buddhism. He was even preparing massive rituals for the rebirth in paradise of the recently deceased like Gang Clan, Yi Bang-beon, Yi Bang-seok, I Je, and others.
In this state, Yi Bang-won pushing anti-Buddhism? His eyes had rolled back in rage.
"I'll block your anti-Buddhist policy by any means. Insult the Buddha with that nonsense again, and I won't forgive you. And mocking Yi Seok for loving the Tripitaka? Do you know Confucianism better than Yi Seok, you arrogant fool? Passing the exams young doesn't make you the scholars' teacher! The moment you enact it, I'll fast to death. Become a king who killed his father, see how that feels."
Yi Seong-gye threatened with his life, and Yi Bang-won bowed his head in acceptance. He couldn't handle the fallout if it came to that.
"Understood, Father. Please set aside your anger and eat."
But Yi Seong-gye didn't trust it. Yi Bang-won lied through his teeth—he'd implement it once Yi Seong-gye was gone. Still, while alive, he couldn't. They'd settle for now and figure out later.
He ordered Yi Bang-won out—"Can't stand the sight of you"—but commanded Min Mu-jil to visit occasionally. Those ribs were divine. He'd even paused his fast in temptation. And Min Mu-jil? He liked the kid. Hated Buddhism's excesses but not the faith itself. Despised burning temples or defacing statues as barbaric—that pleased him. His integrity appealed, and mocking Zhu Yuanzhang was hilarious. Sure, surveillance blocked everything, so he'd grill him often, but still—he approved.
Afterward, Yi Bang-won paid respects and returned to the capital, retracting the policy. Yi Seong-gye, in response, briefly visited the capital before heading back to Soyosan.
Min Mu-jil breathed a sigh of relief.
In the end, Yi Seong-gye ended his fast. I'd checked if he was plotting something odd—no, it was just the sudden anti-Buddhist policy flipping out a man preparing massive paradise prayers for the dead. He was sincere about Buddhism.
Anyway, their conflict was patched up. Yi Bang-won withdrew the policy; Yi Seong-gye made a token capital visit before returning to Soyosan. Seong Seok-rin and I would rotate visits. Why us over the dedicated attendants? No idea, but Yi Bang-won asked, so we did.
Right. Back to work.
I returned to the Office of Special Counsel duties. While handling that, I'd visit Soyosan, offering dishes to Yi Seong-gye.
Today, too, I went to him.
"Your food really suits my taste."
"Thank you, Retired Emperor."
"Hate you one moment, like you the next."
Love-hate, huh?
"Still, you don't fully back the anti-Buddhist policy—that endears you more."
"I'm targeting Buddhism's ills myself."
"Confiscating slaves and fields? Think I love the faith so much I ignore its abuses? Slaves are obvious. I've fought to reduce them— you'd oppose that too? You hate the flaws, not Buddhism itself. That's why I like you."
Honestly, Joseon's population barely topped 4 million, yet 100,000 monks? Nationwide land after the field survey: 650,000 gyeol. Temples held nearly 170,000 gyeol, commanding over 100,000 slaves. Had to fix that. But no statue-smashing vandalism. Destroying Korea's cultural heritage? Absolutely not.
Maybe that's why Yi Seong-gye somewhat approved of me. He acknowledged the issues too.
And the slaves... Yi Bang-won agonized over freeing them as commoners. Late Goryeo, when Yi Seong-gye and reformist scholars seized power amid Yuan interference, they'd scrapped "one-thousand-to-one" and enacted maternal-status inheritance for slaves. Numbers plummeted, but elites still wanted more. Now, confiscating temple slaves to boost commoners—curb Buddhism, grow the populace. One stone, two birds.
Even with Yi Seong-gye alive, it'd happen—he'd agreed slaves were fair game.
Land was the sticking point.
"Every time I see you, I regret."
"Pardon?"
"Never mind."
Regret what—why stop there?
"Bring something new next time. I crave variety."
"Yes. I'll try."
"Good."
I returned to the capital from Soyosan, resuming Office work. Then another incident erupted.
The one I feared most: Yi Bang-won's woman problem.
Stressed from Yi Seong-gye, he'd suddenly summoned a palace maid to his chambers. Word reached Min Da-yeon, and she nagged him daily.
Not just him—sparks flew my way too.
"Her Majesty the Queen Consort summons the Counsel."
First spark: Min Da-yeon.
She'd called, so I went. No choice—ignoring her meant hell.
I bowed.
"You summoned me, Your Majesty?"
Min Da-yeon looked deeply aggrieved.
"Mu-jil, how could His Highness do this to me?"
"What do you mean?"
"Who put him on that throne? How could he treat me like this!"
Another lament. First time Yi Bang-won took a maid to bed, he'd summoned me: "Counsel, what do you do all day—watch this?" Unfair. How could I interfere?
Min Da-yeon realized it wasn't my fault and spared me, instead yelling at Yi Bang-won daily. Tired of it, he moved his bedchamber to the Gyeongyeon Hall.
Couldn't sleep with furious Min Da-yeon, he said. She felt more hurt by that.
"I said nothing wrong, and he moves his bedchamber over it?!"
That hit me too—second spark. King sleeps in Gyeongyeon, so Counsel on night duty there.
"Persuade His Highness to return to the queen's palace at once. Tell him couples must talk it out!"
So that's why. I hesitated; she snapped,
"Shall I go myself?"
"No, I'll go."
Gyeongyeon session now—her showing up? Nightmare.
I went to Yi Bang-won.