Chapter 4

Chapter 4

There was a small confusion over the unexpected doljabi, but the first birthday party continued.

“Hahaha!”

“My Lord! Let me pour you a cup!”

“You too, My Lord! Have a cup!”

Those who attended the banquet laughed and poured each other drinks and continued to have fun.

“I never expected that I would be this happy to have a brilliant nephew.”

Grand Prince Choongnyeong smiled at the Crown Prince's words before replying.

“My wife said he always smiled whenever he heard me read a book.”

“Hahaha! Both father and child are full of talent!”

“It's a great joy for parents to see outstanding children. Congratulations, Choongnyeong.”

“Thank you, Your Royal Highness.”

Hyang was in the crown prince's arm while words of blessing were exchanged between the brothers. He had been there ever since he touched the crown prince's earring. As he stayed in the arms of the crown prince, Hyang continued to daydream alone.

‘It's better for me to sneak in the Korean alphabet, which will eventually be created, anyway. Even if it comes out earlier than historical records, it could expand my range of activities. And after that, I could get my hands on firearms....’

Hyang, who was making his own plans, grumbled in his mind when he suddenly felt sleepy.

‘Damn this weak body! If I was this weak, I could only start my goal in three years.’

While Hyang was grumbling because he couldn't perceive that his body was the body of a baby that just passed its first birthday, a subtle shift began to occur where the crown prince and his brothers sat around.

The first birthday party was coming to the end. The bottoms of people attending the banquet started to move, but they kept on waiting for the one seated at the top seat—the crown prince.

“Why don't you go back now? Don't you have to attend the office early tomorrow?”

“Shouldn't Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince also return to the palace?”

“I need to talk a little more with my brothers. You guys should go ahead.”

“Then, excuse....”

Following the crown prince's words, those who attended the ceremony greeted each other one by one and began to leave.

* * *“It's a little stuffy.”

When the guests—including Hyang's maternal grandparents—had all left their seats, perhaps because the fever was rising out of tipsiness, the crown prince untied his dopo knot. When he was about to untie the jeogori knot as well, Choongnyeong immediately stopped him.

“Your Royal Highness, please dress properly.”

“What’s the problem? Humans should live comfortably.”

“Your Royal Highness is this nation's pillar. You should not forget about this.”

“Huff~.”

The crown prince let out a breath filled with tipsiness at the words of Choongnyeong before he fixed up his clothes.

Choongnyeong bowed his head and expressed his gratitude when he saw the crown prince follow his words.

“Thank you for hearing this little brother of yours, Your Royal Highness.”

The crown prince was pouring alcohol into a glass as he started a conversation with Choongnyeong.

“Choongnyeong.”

“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”

“I said to our mother, that you aren't an ordinary person. You already have academic accomplishments at that age, don’t you? This older brother couldn't even reach your level.”

“You flatter me immensely, Your Royal Highness. It's just that Your Royal Highness did not come close to the scripture. With a little effort, Your Royal Highness would quickly surpass the humble achievement of this little brother.”

The crown prince burst into laughter as he heard Choongnyeong's answer. It was as if he was in a good mood.

“Hahaha! Choongnyeong, I don’t know that you have a knack for flattery too!”The origin of this chapter's debut can be traced to N0v3l--B1n.

“This is not flattery. If only Your Royal Highness comes a little closer with scripture—”

“Choongnyeong, do you believe in Virtue Politics and political ideology that a virtuous person should rule over a morally dark person?”

“Isn't that the just path, Your Royal Highness?”

It was a very meaningful story.

Nam Jae did not explain what he meant by telling that story, but because of his position and the content of his words, this news immediately reached King Taejong. However, when this news reached King Taejong, he said the following and laughed it away.

“That old man was exaggerating.”

King Taejong laughed it off, but the competition about the next throne owner between the supporters of Crown Prince Yangnyeong and the supporters of Choongnyeong began to pick up its speed.

The definite cause of this competition was King Taejong's ambiguous response. In principle, he recognized Yangnyeong—his oldest son—as the crown prince, but he continued to pay attention and favorable reviews towards Choongnyeong.

“Look at Choongnyeong!”

Whenever there was a report that Yangnyeong, the crown prince, was lazy in his studies, King Taejong mentioned Choongnyeong and scolded the crown prince.

Once, the crown prince, who could not stand this comparison, criticized Choongnyeong in his private audience with King Taejong.

“Choongnyeong is weak-hearted!”

King Taejong openly refuted the crown prince's rebuttal.

“Although he is weak-hearted, there is no one comparable to him in facing big problems and deciding it for a great cause at this time.”

Apart from this evaluation, because Choongnyeong felt pity and showed his benevolence towards people's misery, he became Yangnyeong's strongest competitor.

Even though King Taejong was the one who caused such fierce competition, he continued to recognize Yangnyeong as the crown prince.

Eventually, whether it was based on King Taejong's will or if it was a voluntary move by his retainers to prevent another ‘prince rebellion', Park Eun warned Shim On—the head of those who supported Choongnyeong.

“Because Grand Prince Choongnyeong is a kind-hearted that he focused his heart on everything, the right thing for you is to ask him and conduct yourself properly.”(AN2)

Park Eun warned him, but Shim On ignored those and didn't deliver that warning to Choongnyeong. Finally, Park Eun, who was tired of holding back, visited Choongnyeong in his private residence.

That day's event was one of the events which Hyang remembered. Even though he was in a situation where he had to sleep more than half a day, like a normal child that just passed his first birthday, the commotion that happened outside was enough to wake Hyang up.

“Lord Shim! Do you have thought or not!”

“Hoho. Lord Park. This is not like—”

“You cannot do this, Lord Shim! Would you like to once again experience the bloody tragedy that happened in the reign of King Taejo?”

“There is no way, isn't it?”

“Then what would you name the conduct you're doing right now?! Move over now! I have to meet His Highness the Grand Prince!”

“Last time, I only forgot to tell him. This time, I'll tell him for sure. So, please go back for now.”

“Look, Lord Shim!”

“Now, now... Please go back for now.”

Even though Hyang didn't see it with his eyes but ears, he knew that the situation was very serious.

‘Isn't this really a problem?’

“Huff~.”

Shim On let out a long sigh after sending back Park Eun from the front gate. He watched the back of Park Eun got farther away for a while before turning his body with a stiff face.

“The die is cast, anyway.”

Shim On’s faint voice was full of determination. The current crown prince—Yangnyeong, was not lacking. However, many people were questioning his qualifications because of his behavior. There was also the second prince—Hyoryeong, but he was known to have no interest in the throne. After eliminating the two, Choongnyeong—his son-in-law—was the only one of the king's legitimate children that remained.

‘Grand Prince Choongnyeong is the only answer for the future of Joseon!’

The determined Shim On pushed Choongnyeong to be the crown prince. It was a move with his life on the line, but Shim On believed there was a chance of winning. The reason was that King Taejong's reaction was lukewarm. As the number of people supporting him increased, Shim On's confidence became stronger.

“Although His Majesty doesn't like maternal relatives, everything will be solved when the Grand Prince becomes the crown prince! I just need to stay low for a while until His Highness becomes the crown prince and ascends the throne!”

And on the day the Grand Prince ascended to the throne, he would rise to the position of the king's father-in-law, the maternal grandfather of the crown prince, and the most influential person after the king.

* * *A/N

(AN1): Annals of King Taejong, Year 15 of reign, December 30th. ↻

(AN2): Annals of King Taejong, Year 17 of reign, October 6th. ↻

T/N

(1) Samhan: Before the Korea Three Kingdoms Period, three countries were in the middle and south of Korea. Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan. ↻

The author's note was to tell that he took the passages from the Annals of King Taejong. I’ve tried to find the English version, but I haven't found it. I want to apologize in advance if there are mistranslations.