Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Freezing Throne (1)
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My goal was to use the Naju Gwaseo Incident in the exact opposite way from history—undermining the king's position while elevating the Crown Prince's in equal measure.
The reason I didn't trust Yoon Ji's faction wasn't just because they were historical losers.
They couldn't support the Crown Prince, either.
The pro-Crown Prince factions were the Soron Wanron and Noron Cheokdang. Groups like Junsor and Taknam, who had no foothold in the court at all, were fundamentally different from the start.
Above all, since the Crown Prince was Hong Bonghan's son-in-law, Yoon Ji had every reason to count him out.
And from Yeongjo's perspective, the Crown Prince was simply out.
Yeongjo made the first move.
It could be said that the simplest motive is the most powerful, as proven time and again.
Yeongjo sent a letter to the Crown Prince, commanding him thus:
]. You must surely be familiar with this. If you have violated these four prohibitions [Four Don'ts Admonition], then the banner of your fundamental duties has collapsed. Do not evade by claiming your learning is shallow or inadequate—answer truthfully.>
Let me translate that into modern language.
<Write a letter of reflection. No sin? Make one up.>
Our king seems to be getting too lazy these days even to fabricate a proper pretext. That dream story from before? Totally off-the-cuff, right?
The fact that this "admonishment" was issued publicly meant he wanted to undermine the Crown Prince's authority in front of all the officials. The Crown Prince's reflection would be eternally recorded in the annals, after all.
Given this delicate political situation, the Crown Prince's intellect probably couldn't handle a proper response.
I needed to meet with him once.
As the superintendent of the Military Armory, I decided to present him with replica Dutch weaponry. Then, using secrecy as an excuse, I arranged a private audience with him.
However, contrary to my expectations, the Crown Prince wasn't flustered or dazed. He didn't even get angry.
"Your concern must stem from loyalty, but there's no need to make a fuss. What shame is there in a child being reproved by his parent?"
Huh, he seemed surprisingly composed all of a sudden.
The Crown Prince had his writing materials brought in, saying he was just about to work on it anyway, and wrote down the "actions not in accordance with propriety" he had taken.
To me, it was the perfect model reflection—precisely because it showed zero actual remorse.
At the same time, he didn't forget to play the media game with his words, ensuring no one could nitpick. As his former tutor, I was moved to tears by his growth.
"Emperor Xiaoyuan of the past (Liu Bei) said one should not commit even the smallest evil, and that is profoundly true. The Grand King's stern command is likewise correct."
It seemed the Crown Prince's role model was Liu Bei.
Just like Liu Bei, who boldly betrayed those who helped him in his time of need—Zhuge Liang, Lu Bu, and Liu Zhang—his skin had thickened. Had I given him that silk pouch for nothing last time?
After setting aside the reflection, the Crown Prince asked me,
"So, the Military Armory has succeeded in producing Western firearms?"
"Yes. Weapons may go unused for a hundred years, but a single day without them endangers the nation. I apologize for reporting such inauspicious matters, but upheavals within and without the court are always unpredictable."
'Upheavals within and without.' Get it? Things are off right now. You need to position yourself carefully here. Just sitting tight won't cut it.
But the Crown Prince's wits didn't seem to rise to that level. He glanced at the report I handed him and stood up.
"Even King Hyeojong did it, so why should I hesitate? Seeing is believing. It would be best to test these presented weapons myself. You there!"
Right, he always loved this stuff.
The Training Command's firearm production and market dealings weren't some tacit side hustle—they were officially sanctioned by the state. The government couldn't pay, so what choice was there?
This time, too, the Military Armory handled design and prototypes, while the Training Command managed testing and mass production.
This funneled most of the funds to the Training Command, which had the added benefit of cleaning up our Military Armory's books.
Training Commander Kim Seong-eung wasn't a fool to agree. If this venture succeeded and the weapons were adopted by other units, they could pioneer new markets to replace the provincial matchlock trade I'd undercut.
Why was it called the Training Command? It tested new weapons and tactics, trained elite troops, and even dispatched instructors to other units—a sort of doctrinal guard battalion.
Thus, Kim Seong-eung's cooperation was flawless.
No matter how much I'd dragged Jangbok into LTE service, the preparations at the Training Command headquarters next to Gyeongdeok Palace (future Gyeonghui Palace) for the Crown Prince's unannounced inspection were impressively military-like.
As the Crown Prince inspected the bizarre-looking gun carriages and various cannons, I followed behind with Kim Seong-eung, flattering him all the while.
"Even with the Crown Prince's sudden arrival, not a single disruption—truly befitting the elite of the Training Command."
"We can't lag behind an outfit like the Royal Guard whose roots are unknown. Make sure to speak well of us to the Crown Prince."
I nodded.
Kim Seong-eung's position wasn't great right now, either.
While it was his role to get hauled in whenever the king was bored, this time it was a bit serious.
As a counter to that dream story, the Noron had impeached former Soron Grand Minister (premier) Jo Hyeon-myeong for pulling strings to appoint a general at the Training Command.
Yes, former premier. Jo Hyeon-myeong was already old and dead.
Even fellow Noron, but this one left a sour taste. Don't you know "no standing to sue"?
Because of sending former Deputy Minister Yi Ik-bo into exile, Yeongjo had to heed the Noron this time. The direct culprits received heavy punishment, and Training Commander Kim Seong-eung was dismissed as well.
But Yeongjo pulled this incident into his own camp, too.
He summoned Pyeongan Province Military Commissioner Sin Min, appointed him Royal Guard commander, and under the pretext of reorganizing the Royal Guard, handed over the Eastern Detached Battalion—originally the Training Command's—to the Royal Guard Inner Battalion.
Anyone who's worked in an organization knows: no backing means you're screwed. The Training Command lost a camp before it could even squirm.
When Kim Seong-eung returned a few days later, he must have felt like Yi Sun-sin facing survivors who wanted to chew Won Gyun alive after Chilcheollyang.
The first Royal Guard commander was civilian official Hong Gye-hui. But handing it now to a full-time military man—and ceding Training Command territory—signaled one key fact.
The king's direct No. 0 Guard... no, his most trusted bodyguard role now went to the Royal Guard, not the Training Command.
For eternal Training Commander Kim Seong-eung, practically the feudal lord of the Training Command, this was far worse than quarterly demotions.
It bothered me, too.
The push to make the Royal Guard directly subordinate had been consistent (that's why I never invested in them beyond weapons rental—they were Yeongjo's anyway), but this blatant move was suspicious.
Yeongjo must have caught wind of rebellion plots through other channels, just like me.
Hence, he chose the new army over the Training Command, which could vanish into a rift in space-time at any moment.
Fair enough—King Injo had judged existing forces useless and created the Capital Defense Command. They were guardians of his ironclad fortress, Namhansanseong.
And what did that Capital Defense Command do?
Watched King Injo get royally screwed by Hong Taiji up close. End of story.
From Training Command to Special Forces, Joseon kings eagerly formed new units in every military crisis. But a guy who can't keep last year's resolutions in his diary won't change just by buying a fancy new one this year.
By now, you can guess my aim.
And the real reason I partnered with the Training Command.
Take the Royal Guard, Your Majesty.
The Crown Prince and I will pick up the Training Command you discarded.
I pondered how to convey this scheme effectively to the Crown Prince.
But he seemed oblivious to my concerns. He had soldiers demonstrate live fire with the 10-shot gun carriage and such (guess Dad's out of sight now), utterly absorbed in the weapons.
The Crown Prince said with a satisfied expression,
"Truly, His Majesty's decision to restore the Military Armory shows immediate results. Even so, who but you, Kim Chunsik, could gather such talented people? 'State affairs begin with securing talent'—profound words indeed."
Normally, he'd never admit riffraff who couldn't pass the exams had talent, but in this field, even I couldn't argue.
Yi Deok-ri and Choi Cheon-yak had become like master and disciple, diligently crafting weapons.
These war maniacs weren't just replicating gun carriages—they mass-produced Dutch muskets and upgraded the Hwacha cannons, which had flaws from Chinese transmissions, to the latest European standards. Unlike Na Gyeong-jeok, as state employees rather than civilian hires, I couldn't block them.
If Hiraga Gennai had half their zeal, he could've supplied Yuryongmok to all of Hanyang Province.
No, they must've blown the entire budget on dolls and generators—how did they pull this off?
As I mulled over SIT embezzlement possibilities, the Crown Prince suddenly said,
"Choi Cheon-yak has long served His Majesty as a disguise; I know him well. Along with the other warriors and craftsmen, grant them rice and beans as comfort."
Choi Cheon-yak promptly came forward, overwhelmed with gratitude.
And the Crown Prince issued the next order.
"These Western guns require good flints. But flints were too expensive even in King Hyeojong's time, hindering production. Is there another way?"
Choi Cheon-yak replied,
"Good flints abound in Anamsan (Gayeosan) in Bupyeong, Pyongnae Prefecture, and merchants have long sold them even in the capital. Since the Flat Price Bureau was established, we track every traded item down to chopsticks. Investigation shows supplies far exceed Hyeojong's era."
"Then procuring from Bupyeong might be cheaper. Have the Military Armory command the Hangang Liberation Detachment to fetch them. The Training Command should dispatch experienced instructors."
Hold on.
This is blatantly offering the Training Command a cut of the Liberation Detachment's profits. No way they'd go to Bupyeong and just mine flints obediently.
Kim Seong-eung's face lit up. More than the gain itself, it signaled the Crown Prince's support.
I replayed the Crown Prince's words.
Affairs begin with securing people.
He'd reassured the Training Command, fearing demotion from the central stage. SIT got generous rewards, too.
And his orders were building an independent supply chain including the Training Command, Military Armory (and lubricant role of Samhwadae).
A bit exaggerated, but it laid the foundation for the Crown Prince's independent staff.
At that, I couldn't help raising my head, protocol be damned.
He was no longer the Sado Seja I knew. Someone else stood there now.
He might not know about the rebellion yet, but he'd resolved to break free from passive responses entirely.
The Crown Prince ordered an officer to hand him a gun.
It was a Joseon-Dutch flintlock musket, improved with Cheonbo musket secrets—no need for a lit matchlock.
I froze mid-step, about to stop him hastily.
Yesterday's Crown Prince, I'd have stopped.
But today's? He didn't seem remotely dangerous.
Bang!
The target shattered with one shot.
The Crown Prince spun the smoking gun half a turn and handed it back to the officer.
"My venture relies entirely on you. Ensure no gaps in anything."
"Yes, Your Highness."
I bowed deeply, stealing a glance upward.
The flames enveloping the Crown Prince's form were incomparable to before.
Our ally, whom I'd pegged as a troll just tanking it, might carry the team if used right.
The Crown Prince's transformation naturally correlated with Kim Unhaeng's satisfaction and Yi Geum's dissatisfaction.
Yi Geum was furious at his son's submitted reflection.
On the surface, it was flawless. But inside, totally different.
The Crown Prince first stated, "This spring, I committed improprieties (非禮), causing His Majesty to sternly admonish me—that is my sin."
But this referred to the tribute at the Crown Prince's birthday that New Year's.
Yi Geum always nitpicked his son's birthdays. Some years verbal abuse, others expulsion—variety aplenty. Honestly, those were more fun than his own birthdays.
This time, too, Yi Geum had explicitly said no tribute on the Crown Prince's birthday.
Yet the elite Crown Prince Household officials "forgot" to remind him of the royal order around his birthday. Related agencies, not getting the memo, naturally delivered tributes as custom.
Yi Geum, enraged then, "sternly admonished" by purging the entire Crown Prince Household.
Court ladies in the know could only see Yi Geum as the petty king who ruined his wife's birthday, then his son's—teeth gritted.
'This insolent brat...!'
But Yi Geum couldn't issue an immediate thunderbolt; the situation was poor.
His intent to humiliate Soron was already drawing glares. Not doctrinal issues, but court efficiency.
With heaps of work needing Soron approval, constantly eroding regency authority—what good was that? He wasn't doing it himself.
Besides, current Yi Geum was coordinating the Soron Naju rebellion—and drawing in Noron allies. No time for hobbies.
Yi Geum was a rational monarch. He replied to the Crown Prince oppositely to his true feelings: "Satisfied with your learning," then turned to state affairs.
Rebellion meant securing military first.
Yi Geum anticipated the Training Command's discontent from the Royal Guard affair.
So, he decided to grant them once the honor of close royal service.
It was around his 60th birthday. After messing up wife and son's, allowing his own feast would draw ire.
Thus, Yi Geum repeatedly refused ministers' (reluctant) requests. And planned events to boast his humility to ancestral spirits.
After touring five or six tombs, Yi Geum—suspiciously aware of the procession—graciously handled nearby Hwanghae Province commoners' petitions, then commanded the Training Command:
"We'll return via Seodaemun."
Easy for the top, but not below.
It was You hour now; torches set for (usual) Namdaemun—when to move to Donuimun? How to notify scouts and troops? The Training Command's precise admin fell into chaos.
Here, Training Commander Kim Seong-eung harbored thoughts not quite paranoia.
'This bastard really—getting bold!'
Yi Geum just meant Seodaemun was closer from his location, but to Kim Seong-eung, it sounded like another arrest attempt.
Fresh from感動 toward the Crown Prince, rage at this petty, sleazy king swelled.
Resentment doesn't need grand punishment.
Goryeo's shogunate arose from singeing beards.
Fuckery moves history.
Kim Seong-eung made history here.
The Training Commander clocked out. Then went home.
Most troops, leaderless, dithered then ignored orders and entered via Namdaemun—familiar and prepared.
Nearly left stranded outside Donuimun, Yi Geum raged and ordered Kim Seong-eung seized.
But even Training Command staff and senior officers rebelled.
Dispatch Yeonguijong Kim Seon-haeng's hurried report was masterful:
"The Training Commander has already gone home."
"Rebellion" flashed in Yi Geum's mind.
Yi Geum composed himself with instinctive coolness.
To rebel, lead troops—not abandon them.
Likely a communication error.
But the chill down his spine lingered.
Kim Seong-eung commanded Joseon's strongest force longest.
Not over one camp; what grievance against generous treatment prompted this?
Normally, strip his forces and exile—rational monarch move.
But Yi Geum was prepping rebellion response around Royal Guard.
And Jeolla Governor Jo Un-gyu's report suggested it was imminent.
Training Command unhelpful anyway, but as enemies? Worse.
Here, forgive to co-opt. Punish after.
Ultimately, Yi Geum formally reproved, dismissed, then reinstated Kim Seong-eung.
Kim Seong-eung's snort went unrecorded.
Likewise, days later, Kim Unhaeng releasing hordes of pigeons south.
Author's Notes
1. The Crown Prince's birthday tribute, reflection incident, and Training Commander Kim Seong-eung's unauthorized clock-out all occurred in Yeongjo 30th year (1754) in-story, with minor date differences. Especially the last—the historians were baffled, commenting "Is this a country?"
2. Flintlock muskets weren't adopted in Joseon largely due to part complexity and flint scarcity. In-story, interpreted as circulation shortage over absolute resources, given Joseon's structure. Gayeosan was a real flint mecca.
3. Not in-story but Jeongjo era: Royal Guard did take Training Command's Eastern Detached Battalion.
4. Capital Guards formed post-Manchu Invasion for Jurchen prep, but strictly, Capital Defense Command formalized post-Bingja Invasion; during Jeongchuk Fortress Fall, not exclusive Namhansanseong defenders.