Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Geniuses Recognize Geniuses!
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"What business brings you here at this hour?"
Father's sharp voice filled the house.
Startled by his angry tone, I flung open the door and stepped out, only to see a familiar face standing before him—the same man I'd encountered several times before.
"I've come to see your youngest son. It won't take long, so please have some tea brought out."
"Gyun? Why would you...?"
"I simply wish to have a chat with him. I assure you, it's nothing harmful, so please don't worry."
At Chestnut Valley Yi I's words, twin flames ignited in Father's eyes.
Did you know?
According to Joseon through Heo Gyun's Eyes, the book I read in my previous life, Chestnut Valley Yi I and our father, Heo Yeop, weren't just divided by Easterners and Westerners—they were mortal enemies on a level beyond that.
First off, both hailed from Gangneung.
If we had to rank them, Heo Yeop was Gangneung's top representative of the Easterners' Gyeongho faction, while Chestnut Valley Yi I was number two from the Westerners' side.
In that tiny speck of a town called Gangneung, two giants representing the nation's East and West factions emerged at the same time. How could they not be compared?
Even I, during all my years living in Gangneung, constantly heard about Chestnut Valley Yi I and Lady Shin Saimdang from those around me. After decades of that, it would have been weirder if they hadn't been hyper-aware of each other.
Second, their personalities couldn't have been more different.
My father was the easygoing type.
Good is good, bad can be made good, share tasty food with everyone, live like water in water or liquor in liquor, just letting time flow by. It was the laid-back demeanor of a family that had produced Prime Minister's Kin for a thousand years, fully reflected in his character.
Chestnut Valley Yi I, on the other hand... well.
To put it nicely, he was unique; bluntly, he was prickly.
More honestly, borrowing Father's exact words from when Chestnut Valley Yi I showed up at our house representing the Westerners: the guy had no luck with people.
Simply put, as the undisputed top genius in Joseon's entire history, he couldn't relate to ordinary folks.
The most famous anecdote showcasing Chestnut Valley Yi I's genius was his title as the Nine-Time Top Scorer. He topped the exam lists nine times. But Joseon's exams—excluding the miscellaneous ones for the middle class—only had three kinds: the Saengwon, Jinsa, and Great Exams.
So how did he top them nine times?
Simple. He kept taking every exam until he got first place, and even after claiming top spot, he'd take them again out of boredom.
In other words, after already acing the judicial, administrative, and diplomatic exams like a triple crown champion, he got annoyed because he wasn't number one and took them again—just to take first in all of them. Then, bored once more, he took them yet again.
Ordinary people like Father—who barely scraped through the exams after half-killing themselves studying—must have thought, "What kind of obnoxious bastard is that?"
I get it. Even I thought, "What the hell?" while reading about it.
Anyway, with his sky-high standards as a once-in-a-millennium genius, he was picky about Faction involvement. It was only natural that Father and the other Easterners of the era ground their teeth at him.
And finally, third.
They finally clashed head-on at the pentagon.
With clashing ideologies, personalities, and even heavyweight status, these two titans going at it in the main event—no wonder there were no winners.
After all sorts of conflicts, Father was ousted from central politics and died in exile at an old age. Enraged by that, my older brother Heo Bong deliberately sparked the Gwi-mi Three Exiles, sending Chestnut Valley Yi I packing this time.
King Seonjo, furious in turn at losing a talent like Chestnut Valley Yi I, banished my brother to the remote Gap Mountain in Hamgyong Province. That marked the beginning of the Heo clan's thousand-year downfall.
Aigoo.
Looking back, it's an enmity like no other.
So why had he come all the way here?
Hiding behind Dori and peeking out, I caught Chestnut Valley Yi I's eye. He strode right toward me.
"Come, let's have a word."
"Pardon?"
"Hm..."
In the end, I let Chestnut Valley Yi I into my room.
Father bellowed that he was coming in too, while Chestnut Valley Yi I stubbornly insisted it had to be just us two. A full-blown argument erupted in the courtyard, like a pair of raging bulls.
Thanks to Mother's intervention—embarrassed that the servants were witnessing this—we finally calmed things down. As Father was dragged kicking and screaming to the inner quarters by Mother's hand, we sat facing each other across a low table.
Chestnut Valley Yi I took a sip of the tea before him, moistened his throat, and stared straight at me.
"I've come because I have a few questions for you."
"Ah... Yes, ask away."
"I read the book you wrote last time. Harmony and the Evil Pursuers—surely that means the Easterners and Westerners must unite against foreign powers. So, what exactly are those foreign powers you mentioned?"
"?"
Wait, that was just flavor text I threw in while transitioning from the seasoned chicken to the next dish—a lazy rip-off mixing dark culinary underworld vibes with cool villains.
Hm... Should I just say I wasn't thinking anything specific?
I don't want to get involved.
After pondering for a moment, I shook my head.
No. We have the family pride to uphold. I should at least save Father's face.
Besides, from that 100,000 Volunteer Soldiers spiel last time, it seems Chestnut Valley Yi I is starting to gear up. Thinking of the national disasters coming soon, giving him a heads-up is the right thing as a fellow Joseon man. Of course.
Racking my brain for the scant future knowledge I remembered, I spoke to him.
"Foreign powers... Short-term, it's the Jurchens. Long-term, Japan."
"What!"
Chestnut Valley Yi I gasped in shock.
What's with that reaction?
"Not just the Jurchens, but Japan too...? Why? No—tell me all your thoughts, including the Jurchens."
"Well..."
Hm, so the Nitangge Rebellion is about 6-7 years away?
Imjin War... 1592, so roughly 15-16 years from now?
Counting on my fingers, I gave a plausible reason.
"The Jurchen tribes, who used to fight over territory among themselves, are starting to unite one by one. Even a small unified Jurchen force is blocked by Ming to the side and has barren land up north, so there's only one place they'll head: south, to Joseon. Judging by the pace, a Jurchen invasion isn't far off."
"Exactly! What insight! And?"
"Japan's the same. They've been trapped on their islands fighting each other for a hundred years now, and the wars are only growing bigger. Soon, a few more battles will decide the nation's ruler. They won't let all that built-up firepower go to waste—they'll turn their swords elsewhere. As an island nation, the only place they can reach is north, to Joseon again."
"!!!"
It's real.
He's real. Someone who truly understands my heart, Chestnut Valley Yi I's heart.
Not even the Easterners, let alone fellow Westerners, grasped the gravity of these rising foreign threats—not even a speck. Yet this child before me saw right through it.
The time to prepare has truly come. For the Proposal for 100,000 Volunteer Soldiers.
"Ex... Excellent. I see. I'll keep that firmly in mind."
"Yes, my lord."
Imjin War hits, and I'm bolting with the family pants-down style, but prepping ahead to minimize damage isn't bad. 100,000 might be too much, but if he pushes hard, he could squeeze out a few tens of thousands more. Not like I'm the one suffering anyway.
As I secretly swelled with pride, Chestnut Valley Yi I asked something else.
"Then what about this? Lately, I've been considering a policy called the Tribute Substitution with Rice Method—replacing all tribute payments with rice instead of goods. This would secure grain supplies for the growing military, and moreover..."
"It would prevent the abuses of the tribute system. A policy that would truly benefit the people."
"You understood it right away?"
"Yes."
Of course I did.
It's the Daedongbeop.
But I don't want to get involved. Nope. Go home.
"However, it's premature."
"What? Why?"
Because the court ministers will erupt in opposition.
The big landlords who fart the loudest in the land are sweet-talking their way through tribute scams right now. Stir that pot, and I'll be the only one targeted.
Besides, even if they don't do it now, the Imjin War will flip the country upside down and force it through anyway.
When they realized there was no grain for the troops amid all the tribute nonsense, they started collecting rice first—that became the precursor to the Daedongbeop.
Ryu Seong-ryong adopted Chestnut Valley Yi I's exact Tribute Substitution with Rice Method and implemented it, so hold off for now. Not yet.
"It's too soon. More time is needed."
"More time? So it could work later?"
"Yes, probably in about 15 years? That should do it."
"!!!"
Chestnut Valley Yi I shuddered.
This child has truly calculated everything.
Geniuses recognize geniuses.
Presenting the Tribute Substitution with Rice Method now would face unanimous opposition from court ministers, Easterners and Westerners alike—it'd never pass.
So wait. Exactly 15 years, until he matures and enters the palace.
Until the day the Easterners' leader Heo and the Westerners' luminary Yi join forces to reform this nation of Joseon.
Thus, Chestnut Valley Yi I met the friend of a lifetime.
"I've heard you well..."
"Uh, are you alright?"
"Yes... Truly excellent words."
Staggering to his feet, Chestnut Valley Yi I opened the door and stepped out.
Outside stood Heo Yeop, still glaring daggers, wondering what was going on. Chestnut Valley Yi I approached him, bowed deeply, and said,
"My lord, I acknowledge it. The third son of this house, Heo Gyun, is fully qualified as a royal tutor for Joseon. I will personally petition His Majesty to advance his duties."
"A royal decree!"
Ah, what now.
"Hear ye, third son of Grass Hall Heo Yeop of the Yangcheon Heo Clan! His Majesty commands: From this day, Heo Gyun is appointed special attendant in the Bureau for Royal Tutors. You shall serve not only the crown prince but all future princes and princesses. The investiture ceremony is set for the Regular Audience at the Hour of the Snake today. Enter the palace with your father, Grass Hall Heo Yeop. This is His Majesty's decree!"
"?"
Heo Gyun, age 6.
Having vowed to slack off all year.
Fifteen days into the new year, appointed royal tutor of Joseon.
Eom.