74
When Yong turned three, he was adopted as the heir of his uncle, Prince Seongnyeong, who had passed away at the age of fourteen.
As he grew older, he lived between the palace and Prince Seongnyeong's residence.
One day, while on his way to the palace, he encountered a performance by the Sadanpae, which sparked his curiosity.
"What's all that noise outside?" Yong asked, showing interest while riding in his palanquin.
The attendant, who was accompanying him, looked out and replied, "It seems the Sadanpae are performing."
"Sadanpae? I want to see!" Yong insisted, but the attendant frowned and tried to dissuade him.
"Your Highness, it would be too vulgar for you to watch."
"I want to see it!" Yong's stubbornness grew, prompting his nurse, who was also in the palanquin, to support him.
"Your Highness, there are many commoners there..."
"But I want to see!" As Yong's voice rose, the nurse sighed and said to the attendant, "Let’s just take a quick look."
"Wow! Wow! They're amazing!" Yong clapped his hands in delight as he watched the Sadanpae's performance.
He was fascinated by the acrobatics of the tightrope walker, who skillfully balanced on a high rope, and the jester who spun bowls on thin sticks while exchanging jokes with the audience.
After watching three acts of the Sadanpae—though there were originally six, Yong only saw three since he arrived midway—he could not forget the experience.
He saw children his age soaring through the sky, performing tricks and dancing, and he felt a sense of freedom that he could not possess.
Above all, he was thrilled.
In the end, Yong made a firm resolution.
"I will become a Sadanpae!"
When Yong, the third son, expressed his earnest desire to speak, King Sejong called for him.
Taking a brief break from state affairs, Sejong sipped his tea and asked, "So, you have something to say to your father?"
"I want to become a Sadanpae!"
"Pfft! You little rascal!" Sejong was taken aback by Yong's outrageous declaration and spat out his tea in anger.
Following this, not only Sejong but also Queen Sohyeon and Princess Jeonghye scolded him, trying to reason with him, but Yong's stubbornness did not waver.
"I don't want to! I want to be a Sadanpae!"
After hearing the attendant's report, Sejong placed his hand on his forehead and sighed deeply.
"They say the Confucians have improved, and now Yong... these children..."
As Sejong and the entire family grew increasingly worried, Hyang decided to intervene.
He called Yong to sit down and quietly asked, "Yong, did you say you want to be a Sadanpae?"
"Yes!"
"Do you prefer dancing and singing like a Sadanpae, or watching their performances?"
"Um..."
Yong hesitated, tilting his head as he struggled to answer.
Seeing Yong's confusion about what he truly liked, Hyang asked again, "If you become a Sadanpae, you won't be able to eat the sweets you love, nor enjoy candies. Would you still want to be a Sadanpae?"
"That sounds unpleasant..."
"Though you dislike that, you still enjoy watching their performances, right?"
"Yes!"
"Then it's simple. You can grow up to be a great person and invite the Sadanpae to perform for you! If you become well-known, you can gather all the Sadanpae from across the country to watch!"
"Ah..."
As Yong imagined this delightful scenario, his mouth opened wide in amazement.
However, Hyang poured cold water on his excitement.
"But you know, I don't think you can become a great person."
"Why not?"
"Just look at you now. You throw a tantrum to become a Sadanpae, worrying not only your father but also your mother and sister. How can you become a great person like that?"
"I will become a great person!" Yong shouted defiantly, but Hyang shook his head.
"It's hard. No, it's impossible. You don't listen and don't study. It can't happen."
"But I can do it! I can!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"That's a promise!"
"I promise!"
Yong's determined response made Hyang smile.
"Alright, then I will make a promise too. If you learn properly from your teacher, I will personally take you to see the Sadanpae! If you grow up to be a great person, I will gather all the Sadanpae from across the country for you to watch!"
"I promise!"
"That's a promise!"
Hyang's words led Yong to follow a path similar to Yu's.
Upon receiving the report that "Hyang has helped Yong correct his mindset," Sejong laughed heartily for the first time in a while.
"Hahaha! Truly, he is the Crown Prince! Indeed, he is the eldest son!"
As Sejong rejoiced, the ministers beside him chimed in, "Indeed, this is the fortune of Joseon!"
"That's right!"
Meanwhile, Hyang, who was thinking about his two younger brothers in his room, shook his head.
"One is a nerd, and the other is a fanboy... How did they end up in such notoriously difficult fields to heal from... At least I succeeded in getting them to study; I should be grateful to the teachers."
The teachers Hyang referred to were those who had taught him when he was a high school student in the 21st century.
Knowing of Hyang's famous obsessions, the teachers had advised him, "If you don't want to be called a nerd, succeed! Become a skilled expert or a successful enthusiast, then you won't be called a 'damn nerd' but rather a 'passionate hobbyist'!"
"Even if you love drinking, if you empty a soju glass while wearing a loose tank top and slippers, you're just a loser who drinks. But if you wear a fine suit and sip high-end liquor at a hotel bar, you're considered enjoying drinking! Isn't that disgusting? That's how the world is."
As Hyang reminisced about the past, he scratched his head.
"By the way, with me and those guys being nerds, I wonder if there will be a 'Jeonju Yi Clan Nerd Faction' in the future?"
Even though a small storm was brewing over the education of the princes, many officials in the court paid little attention.
"It's better to work than to worry about that!"
Even if they worked tirelessly, the piles of books and scrolls continued to grow, making the princes' futures seem like stories from another world to the officials.
The main reason they were unconcerned was that someone with an incredibly strong presence, like Hyang, was standing firm as the heir.
"Since the Crown Prince is firmly in place, is there any need to worry?"
However, there were still those who were troubled by unresolved questions.
Among them was Haksan, who had entered as a 9th-grade academic instructor and was also working as an 8th-grade researcher in the institute.
"Great Hwa, why do you look so troubled these days? Is there something wrong at home?" A colleague from the institute noticed Haksan's gloomy expression and asked.
Since Haksan's younger brother also worked as an academic instructor and researcher, the officials referred to them as "Great Hwa" and "Little Hwa."
The irony was that the younger brother was actually bigger in size.
Haksan shook his head and mumbled, "Ah, no."
"From your expression, it looks like there's a big problem at home."
"Well, there's a bit of an unresolved issue..."
Upon hearing Haksan's reply, his colleague responded with a look of sympathy.
"If there's an unresolved issue, you can just ask the special type! Why are you suffering alone? Go quickly!"
"Yes, yes..."
Haksan's lukewarm response prompted his colleague to meddle further.
"Hey! At your age, do you have a partner? Come with me!"
"No, that's not it..."
"Come on! Follow me!"
The meddling colleague eventually dragged Haksan to find Isunji.
"What is it?" Isunji asked when Haksan arrived.
Haksan hesitated.
"Well, it's..."
"Speak quickly. Time is passing, you know? Precious time."
Under Isunji's urging, Haksan steeled himself and spoke.
"There’s a problem that I just can’t solve."
At Haksan's words, Isunji's eyes began to sparkle.
"An unsolvable problem? Oh? A problem that even Great Hwa can't solve... This piques my interest! So, what is it?"
"The Crown Prince mentioned something about Seoi. Where exactly are these Seoi?"
"Eh?"
"Eh?"
Isunji and the colleague blinked in surprise at Haksan's unexpected question.
"I don't understand... Why suddenly Seoi?"
When Isunji asked for clarification, Haksan added, "It may sound self-praising, but if anyone in the court knows about Seoi, it would be my brother, my younger brother, and the fellow scholars who came with us."
"That's true."
Isunji and the colleague nodded at Haksan's statement.
After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Haksan continued.
"Our family has settled in Joseon for thirty years, but we still have some contact with the scholars of Ming. Through them, I have heard stories about the Catholic countries referred to as Seoi in Joseon. However..."
Haksan's explanation went on for quite a while.
As Isunji listened with a serious expression, he concluded, "This seems like a problem that cannot be resolved at my level. You should come with me."
"Yes."
As Isunji stood up, he warned the accompanying official, "I hope you can keep this matter quiet for now. For your own safety."
At Isunji's warning, the official swallowed hard, his face pale, and replied, "Yes, yes!"
"No, you should also move with us."
"I will definitely keep it secret!"
"There's a saying, right? 'A body already abandoned.' Now, no more words, just follow me."
At Isunji's firm command, the official answered with a gloomy expression, "Yes..."
Watching the scene unfold, Haksan patted his colleague's shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't worry, I just dug my own grave. This meddling of mine..."
"Come on!"
"Yes!"
"Hmm... So, are you saying that what the Crown Prince referred to as Seoi is something that even Seoi cannot create?"
At Jeongcho's question, Haksan nodded.
"Is there any solid evidence?"
In response to Jeongcho's question, Haksan immediately answered, "The most solid evidence is those large ships."
"Ships?"
"Yes, do you remember when I went to Ming to find glass artisans on the Crown Prince's orders?"
Haksan's question prompted Jeongcho to nod.
"I remember well. In the end, you couldn't find the artisans you wanted, and your brother returned home, right?"
"Yes. At that time, the condition set by the Crown Prince was 'artisans capable of producing plate glass and items known as lenses.' And the standard for the plate glass was at least two feet in length."
When Haksan shared this with his relatives, they were shocked.
"Is that Crown Prince Italian?"
"What do you mean?"
"Producing that level of plate glass in bulk has only recently started in Italy! We only heard about it not long ago!"
"... In other words, the Crown Prince knew about a technology that has only recently been developed in a country he has never visited."
At Haksan's words, Jeongcho immediately countered, "Could it be that the Crown Prince simply set a high standard? Something like, 'It should be at least this much'?"
"That could be the case, but the standards are too detailed. You can't set such standards without a certain level of knowledge. And..."
Pausing for a moment, Haksan pointed towards the hallway.
"The most incomprehensible thing is those large ships. Especially the last battleship is the biggest problem."
"A battleship? Why?"
"From what I've heard, there isn't a single country among the Seoi that has built such a ship."
"Eh?"
Haksan, curious about his relatives' reaction to the plate glass issue, asked the most pressing question.
"By the way, do those Catholic infidels have ships that move solely by sails without using oars?"
"They do. I once went back to my hometown with the eunuch of the Ming Emperor, Zheng He. While I was there, I tried to earn some extra money by going to the Mediterranean, and I saw the Spaniards building large ships. They called them carracks."
"What do they look like?"
"Well..."
As Haksan asked, his relative racked his memory and drew a picture on paper.
After seeing the drawing, Haksan asked again, "So, this is the latest model used by the infidels?"
"That's right!"
"The ship that my relative drew was the same type of ship that the Crown Prince referred to as '1st generation'."
"Do you still have that drawing?"
At Jeongcho's question, Haksan rummaged through his sleeve and pulled out the paper.
Upon seeing the drawing, Jeongcho's face stiffened.
The ship drawn on the paper was somewhat rough, but it closely resembled what Hyang had named '1st generation ocean-going ship.'
Seeing Jeongcho's expression, Haksan continued, "Even stranger is the new armor that started being supplied to the royal guards. Although it has a cloth covering, it is unmistakably Seoi's plate armor."
"Well, the swordsmanship practiced by the royal guards is based on Seoi's techniques..."
"Yes, I know. Among the books the Crown Prince acquired, there were swordsmanship texts that recorded Seoi's techniques, and the royal guards who had not practiced swordsmanship were taught those techniques. However, you can't create such perfect armor just from a few drawings. The technology to mold and produce them in one go is something even the Seoi do not possess. It is truly a new technology. That is why I cannot understand. Where exactly are the Seoi that the Crown Prince speaks of?"
"What you are saying is..."
"The Crown Prince referred to them as Seoi, but it is undoubtedly something he has thought of. Then the question arises, 'Why? Why did he disguise it as Seoi? Why is he so wary of Seoi?'"
"Hmm... This is a matter that requires some thought."
As Jeongcho nodded, he warned Isunji, Haksan, and the official who had been dragged along.
"This matter must be kept quiet for the time being. If mishandled, it could affect the rise and fall of Joseon."
"Yes."
A few days later, on the official holiday of the institute, a servant came to Haksan's house.
"You are to come to Jeongcho's residence by the hour of sulsi (9 PM)."
"Understood."
After delivering the message, the servant bowed and quietly left.
At sulsi, Haksan headed to Jeongcho's house.
The servant waiting at the gate quietly guided Haksan to the main hall.
"Sir, the guest you were waiting for has arrived."
"Show him in."
"Yes. Please, have a seat."
"Understood."
As Haksan entered the main hall, he turned to look at the inner room.
He saw Sejong seated at the top seat in the innermost part and quickly bowed deeply.
"Your servant, the academic instructor..."
"Shh! Come in quietly."
"Yes."
At Sejong's command, Haksan entered and took a seat at the farthest end.
"Now that everyone seems to be here, let's get to the point."
"Yes, Your Majesty. The matter begins with that academic instructor..."
Jeongcho explained the circumstances of the incident.
After hearing the explanation, Sejong nodded.
"I too have recently begun to have similar questions. I have read the books collected by the Crown Prince, but there is no book that explains what the Crown Prince mentioned. So, where did the Crown Prince's knowledge come from?"
In response to Sejong's question, Jeongcho added, "I have also had similar questions. Thinking about the heliocentric theory recently, it seems like a self-evident fact that requires no explanation, yet it appears that it cannot be explained."
"Is that possible?"
At Sejong's question, Isunji stepped forward to answer.
"In my case, there are times when I see a formula and immediately know the answer, but I struggle to explain the reasoning behind it. Could it be something like that?"
As Isunji defended Hyang, Choi Haesan added, "Reflecting on the time we designed and experimented with the cannon, it felt strongly that we were led to know the results beforehand."
"Why on earth?"
At Sejong's question, no one immediately spoke.
After a moment, Jeongin opened his mouth.
"I think it may be due to the Crown Prince's age."
"Due to the Crown Prince's age..."
As Sejong nodded, Jeongin continued.
"Looking at the Crown Prince's actions, he first accomplished something that earned him recognition, and then based on that achievement, he undertook even greater tasks. If such a process had not occurred, how likely would it be for the officials of the court to heed the Crown Prince's words?"
"Did he plan everything in advance and use Seoi as an excuse?"
"That seems the most likely."
"Hmm..."
As Sejong stroked his beard, contemplating the possibilities, he looked at Haksan.
"You were called Great Hwa, right?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Are these Seoi truly as unruly as the Crown Prince claims?"
"They are indeed!"
Haksan passionately defended the unruliness of the Seoi.
"In fact, the Seoi take immense pride in being descendants of the great empire of Rome! They are also unhesitant to kill those who believe in other gods in the name of their own deity! Moreover, they are as greedy for technology as they are for wealth!"
"Then, if we meet them unprepared, it would be just as the Crown Prince said?"
"That is correct!"
"Then..."
At Haksan's words, Sejong began to organize his thoughts.
"I command you all."
"We will listen attentively!"
Sejong issued a careful command.
"I believe that most of what the Crown Prince has created or announced thus far has come from his own mind. However, externally, we must make it known that these are Seoi's works. This is a strategy that serves two purposes: to make foreign nations believe that these technologies belong to Seoi, thereby protecting the Crown Prince, and to divert their efforts and time into searching for Seoi, buying us time to evade them. Do you understand what I mean?"
"We will remember it well!"
"And Great Hwa, you are aware that you must keep this secret, right?"
At Sejong's question, Haksan bowed his head and replied, "I, Haksan Hamid Mohammed Al-Otaibi! I will make my home and my final resting place in Joseon! I will uphold this secret in the name of my family!"
"Do not forget that there will be consequences for such a commitment."
Thus, a secret that would become a major topic of debate among historians in the distant future was born in Jeongcho's main hall.
"Hah! That rascal!"
As Sejong returned to the palace after leaving Jeongcho's residence, he suddenly burst into laughter.
"What is it, Your Majesty?"
"Nothing much."
Waving his hand lightly, Sejong grumbled inwardly, 'That child! He must have some understanding of letters by now! Yet he was playing coy? With so much state affairs to handle, should I just throw it all on him?'
As he thought about his mischievous son, who had been subtly nudging him to act whenever he had a chance to talk about letters, Sejong shook his head.
"No! I cannot be a father worse than my child!"
"Yes?"
"It's nothing much. Just that starting tomorrow, the ministers will be busy."
"Yes~."
"Crown Prince! I will lay the groundwork for you to fully realize your ambitions when you ascend the throne!"
That night, all the ministers were caught in a whirlwind of work.