Chapter 160
The new memorial Joseon had sent to the Xuande Emperor, Zhu Zhanji, was delivered.
“I quite like the new memorial King Do (Sejong) of Joseon has submitted.”
Everything written inside pleased Zhu Zhanji from beginning to end.
“What does the Minister of War think?”
“I find it most pleasing as well, Your Imperial Majesty. Ming never directly reprimanded them or blamed the Crown Prince, yet Joseon discerned everything Ming desired from beginning to end and voluntarily bowed its head.”
“I never imagined the King of Joseon would offer to pay silver tribute of his own accord.”
Ming knew Joseon’s circumstances, at least roughly.
Joseon had recently built something called a steel mill, greatly increasing its iron production, and had mobilized an enormous army when it attacked the Jurchens...
It also knew, of course, that Joseon had newly created and used even small firearms that individuals could wield.
It knew as well that, just as it claimed, silver truly was not mined in Joseon. Yet the moment Ming appeared even slightly angry with Joseon, Joseon had bowed its head and volunteered to pay silver tribute...?
‘That is something they could never do if they had even the slightest intention of becoming our enemy.’
Because trade was not yet flourishing in this era, Joseon must have had to exploit its people severely in every possible way to obtain silver...
Yet seeing Joseon wag its tail and offer tribute even though Ming had not demanded it showed just how terrified Joseon was of Ming.
“They say Joseon will pay as much as 300 nyang of silver every year. Is it not a country where silver is not produced at all? I can practically see how much hardship it will suffer to gather that amount.”
The Joseon of old had been a country that could not obtain silver even if it brought hundreds or thousands of seok of rice, with a little exaggeration.
That was why Sejong had suffered such a headache over the silver and gold tribute.
The Xuande Emperor was pleased as he recalled the Joseon of that era, but that was a story belonging entirely to the past.
After Kim Daebung opened up trade with Tsushima—or rather, with Japan—gold and silver had become relatively common in Joseon.
Thus, unlike before, paying 300 nyang of silver would not make Joseon bend under the strain.
“The 300 nyang of silver is certainly welcome, but what pleases me most is Joseon’s declaration that it will directly declare war on Northern Yuan.”
“We cannot trust Joseon completely, but now that it has declared that it will fight an enemy shared with Ming... Joseon will not dare betray Ming.”
“Yes, precisely.”
“Joseon has bowed its head this far... It seems it is time to offer it a carrot.”
The Joseon in the Xuande Emperor’s mind was like this:
A vassal state that the overwhelmingly powerful Great Ming could trample whenever it wished.
A clever country that knew this better than anyone and therefore bowed its head on its own.
So this time, merely raising his whip had made Joseon tremble in fear and beg to be allowed to pay silver tribute, even though Ming had not ordered it to do so?
Just as the barbarians lowered their heads and fell silent on hearing that Ming was mobilizing its armies.
“We should prepare the hama-yeon, the banquet celebrating the envoys’ arrival, on a grand scale.”
The Xuande Emperor believed that everything had been resolved perfectly.
That was why he could not know.
He could not know that Kim Daebung was grinding his teeth at Ming.
**
General Yi Sun-sin once said that he had never heard of the Japanese keeping their word even once.
But was that story not more fitting for Ming than for the Japanese—not just the Japanese?
Joseon had shown the utmost sincerity at all times since its founding, yet those bastards treated us as though we were beneath even monkeys in a zoo.
As proof, our Joseon Seongjeol mission had been burning with anxiety until just now, when we had finally managed to breathe a sigh of relief...
Yet the Ming emperor and his grand ministers were laughing heartily and enjoying themselves. If those bastards were really human beings, how could they act like that?
They were truly astonishing pieces of garbage.
While I was grinding my teeth inwardly, Choe Yun-deok spoke to me.
“Thanks to the Chief Secretary’s deep friendship with the Ming court official, we avoided a grave disaster. You have rendered an immense service.”
“This cannot be called my achievement alone. It was possible because His Highness the Crown Prince, Deputy Envoy, and everyone else joined forces.”
Munjong was only thirteen years old, yet he shouldered the heavy responsibility of being Crown Prince and silently endured every humiliation and pressure.
No matter how hard Ming tried to manipulate him, he never gave in, so even the Xuande Emperor must have been quite flustered.
If the Crown Prince had cried or even lost his temper, they would have used it as a pretext to demand an enormously disadvantageous treaty or something similar from Joseon... Their entire scheme had fallen apart.
Choe Yun-deok had not achieved any visible results either, but he had controlled the diplomatic mission extremely well.
Even though the slightest mistake could have led directly to enormous losses, we had caused no trouble at all, and could therefore hold the hama-yeon safely.
If any problem had arisen along the way, we might have ended up having to prostrate ourselves in atonement before Ming’s Taihe Hall, with Munjong beside us.
“And it is not over yet.”
The formal schedule of our mission was only beginning.
Before long, the Xuande Emperor spoke to the Crown Prince, who had been granted the special honor of sitting beside the emperor.
“A man who had served as an envoy to Joseon said that its mountains and rivers were beautiful and that many outstanding people were born there. He also said that many fine, strapping men were born there... When I heard that, I thought he was merely flattering me, but now that I have seen Joseon’s Crown Prince up close, I see that his words were true.”
The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty contain almost no records of who was handsome or who was beautiful.
Conversely, if a record did attach such an epithet as handsome or beautiful to someone, it would mean that he or she was so unquestionably attractive that not one person out of a hundred could argue against it.
When one considers that there are records of Ming envoys praising Munjong’s appearance, and that even the Crown Princesses became intensely infatuated with him...
It becomes clear that Munjong was extraordinarily handsome by the standards of Joseon at that time.
And Joseon’s standards of beauty were accepted in China as well.
“Now that I am looking at you face-to-face, I feel that Joseon’s Crown Prince is almost like my own grandson.”
Had this madman suffered a stroke and developed acute dementia?
What kind of grandfather would insult someone who resembled his grandson to his face, threaten him, and growl at him like that?
And now, just because he suddenly started saying nice things, did he think all the resentment and bitterness we had built up toward them would vanish in an instant?
We are not goldfish, so how could we possibly forget all that resentment and bitterness?
We are merely enduring it because your country is more powerful than Joseon.
Munjong must have been thinking something similar, but his face wore the bright, innocent smile befitting a thirteen-year-old child.
Though he was only a child, he seemed far better at handling social situations than any ordinary adult man—or rather, than most adult men.
“I am overwhelmed by Your Imperial Majesty’s grace.”
“Come over here.”
When the Xuande Emperor beckoned, Munjong approached him.
At that moment, the Xuande Emperor removed the hat Munjong was wearing and stroked his head from side to side.
Even that alone made me feel as though my blood were boiling backward...
What angered me even more was that the senile Ming emperor’s face looked just like that of a kind and gentle grandfather gazing upon his beloved grandson.
“The sages said that the relationship between ruler and subject is like that between father and child. That is why people speak of the unity of ruler, teacher, and father, and say that one should regard the king as both teacher and father. Does Joseon’s Crown Prince know this saying?”
“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. That is why, as I understand it, the Great Ming Code also contains provisions for light caning and heavy flogging. Since a local magistrate striking a subject with the cane and rod is like a parent admonishing a child, I believe that system is truly proper.”
Adults do not start obeying simply because they are beaten.
Some people will only straighten up after being locked in prison and made to suffer miserably for years, until the lesson is etched into their flesh and bones and they come to think dying for a crime would be preferable.
“Joseon’s Crown Prince is truly clever.”
“I am overwhelmed by Your Imperial Majesty’s grace.”
“I shall specially bestow dangwa (Ming confectionery) upon you, so eat it with relish. In addition, I will grant gifts to each of the officials in the Joseon Seongjeol mission according to his rank and position.”
“Your Imperial Majesty’s grace is boundless.”
Boundless grace, my ass. Did they really think we would be pleased while they treated Munjong like that?
“Today, eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves to your hearts’ content.”
In accordance with the emperor’s command, we had no choice but to enjoy the hama-yeon through our tears.
As a result, we could not get drunk no matter how much we drank, and could not taste our food no matter how much we ate.
Our insides were turned over this way and that, and we nearly died from it.
After spending several days like that, we finished our schedule and finally set out for home.
On the journey home, I made a vow.
“You seem to think Joseon is a piece of taffy, but just wait until the bastard who’s worth even less than that gives you a proper thrashing.”
You are not the only ones who know how to deal with barbarians.
If Joseon sets its mind to it, we can do it more than well enough too.