Chapter 08

Autumn, 1860 — Huijeongdang Hall, Changdeokgung Palace

I followed Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo into Huijeongdang.

Two senior court ladies from Daejojeon walked ahead of us, and inside the hall sat King Cheoljong, the twenty-fifth king of Joseon.

My first impression of him was that he did not look like a king.

He was a man who had grown up in Ganghwa Island, cutting wood and farming.

Although he had been king for more than ten years, his eyes belonged to a man who had been prevented from accomplishing anything by the Haedong Kim clan.

His eyes were gentle.

“Your Majesty, is this the child?”

King Cheoljong asked Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo.

“Yes, Your Majesty. He is the eldest son of Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung. He is the child I have mentioned to you several times.”

I prostrated myself on the floor.

“I, Yi Jae-myeon, pay my respects to Your Majesty.”

King Cheoljong looked down at me for a moment.

“Raise your head.”

I slowly raised my head.

I made sure to meet his eyes without showing fear, while at the same time maintaining the exact boundary that kept me from appearing threatening.

“How old are you?”

“I am thirteen, Your Majesty.”

“I hear you sold charcoal briquettes at Chilpae Market, built salt fields along the western coast, and even stopped the epidemic.”

“I did not stop it myself, Your Majesty. I merely had people boil their water before drinking it.”

King Cheoljong laughed.

“Ha ha!”

“You are modest.”

I lowered my head.

King Cheoljong was not a bad man.

In fact, he was kind.

Before becoming king, he had lived among ordinary people, and therefore he knew the suffering of the people.

But kindness alone was not enough to rule as king.

The Haedong Kim clan knew that.

That was why they had chosen Cheoljong.

And that was why Cheoljong ultimately could not accomplish what he wished and faded away.

I feel sorry for this man.

But there is nothing I can do about it.

King Cheoljong briefly glanced toward Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo before looking back at me.

“I have heard about you from Her Majesty many times. Now that I have seen you myself, I can understand why.”

I lowered my head.

King Cheoljong looked down at his hands resting on his knees for a moment before quietly speaking.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I have no children.”

His voice became quieter.

“My concubines did give birth to children, but I lost them all at a young age. Looking at this child seems to have changed something in my heart.”

The room became silent for a moment.

Where is he going with this?

I kept my head lowered and listened carefully.

“What would you think if I made this child my adopted son?”

Boom!

My heart seemed to drop into my stomach.

The senior court ladies opened their eyes wide.

Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo’s mouth opened slightly before closing again.

I immediately prostrated myself.

“Your Majesty, I am deeply honored. I am not worthy of such a thing.”

“Worthiness is something I decide.”

King Cheoljong slowly turned his head toward Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo.

“Your Majesty, what do you think?”

Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo remained silent for a moment.

Her eyes moved rapidly as she calculated.

If Yi Jae-myeon became Cheoljong’s adopted son—if he became the king’s son—the succession situation would change.

The entire arrangement created by the Haedong Kim clan would be thrown into uncertainty.

“If that is Your Majesty’s will, how could I oppose it?”

Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo lowered her head.

I remained prostrated on the floor and closed my eyes.

I concealed the pounding of my heart.

Outwardly, I was merely a thirteen-year-old overwhelmed by the honor and unsure what to do.

But inside, my calculations were already racing.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

No. There is no reason to refuse.

This is absolutely huge.

Cheoljong’s adopted son.

A prince.

Three years later, when King Cheoljong died, even if the Haedong Kim clan tried to place his second son, Yi Myeong-bok, on the throne, the existence of an already established adopted son of the king would completely change the legitimacy battle.

---

Autumn, 1860 — Reception Hall, Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence, Hanseong

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung heard the news that evening.

A eunuch had come from Changdeokgung carrying a letter conveying His Majesty’s wishes.

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung read the letter twice.

Then he remained completely still for a long time.

Scratch. Scratch.

He held a brush in his hand and kept scraping it against the inkstone.

But he was not writing anything.

He did not even notice when I entered.

“Father.”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung raised his head.

There was something strange in his eyes.

Whether it was shock, anger, or something else, I could not tell.

It was an expression I had never seen on him before.

“Did you arrange this?”

I shook my head.

“No.”

“Then how did this happen? Does it make any sense that His Majesty suddenly decided to adopt you?”

“I was surprised as well. His Majesty said it himself.”

“Did Her Majesty the Queen Dowager arrange it?”

“It is something I cannot know, Father.”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung slowly stood up and walked around the room.

I quietly waited.

After a long while, Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung stopped and looked at me.

Before, his eyes had said that he could make use of this child.

Now they were different.

For the first time, he completely acknowledged that this child was moving ahead of his own plans.

“Did you foresee something like this as well?”

I did not answer.

My silence was the answer.

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung let out a long breath.

“Phew.”

“What will you do from now on?”

I lowered my head.

“I will continue learning by your side, Father.”

It was a lie.

But at this moment, those were the words Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung needed to hear.

---

Autumn, 1860 — Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence, Hanseong

Gak-sim came in early the next morning.

“Young Master, the court is in an uproar.”

I closed my book.

“Sit down and tell me.”

“The news that His Majesty intends to adopt you spread throughout the court in less than a day. They say the ministers aligned with the Haedong Kim clan gathered last night. I heard that the lights in Chief Kim Ja-geun’s reception hall never went out.”

It was exactly what I had expected.

The moment King Cheoljong declared his intention to adopt me, the Haedong Kim clan had no choice but to move.

They had placed the Ganghwa prince on the throne precisely so that they could control the succession.

But now Cheoljong himself had decided to create a royal son.

From the Haedong Kim clan’s perspective, the entire board had been overturned.

“What about the Pungyang Jo clan?”

“The senior court ladies from Daejojeon have apparently been moving busily. It seems the elders of the Pungyang Jo clan have also been contacted.”

Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo would have been preparing since last night.

She had been present when Cheoljong made his declaration.

She had also openly expressed her support.

There was no reason for her to back down now.

“Keep finding out what is happening.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Gak-sim withdrew.

From now on, the real battle begins.

---

Gwi-dong came in that afternoon.

“Young Master, I have news from Chief Kim Ja-geun of the Haedong Kim clan.”

“Tell me.”

“They say three senior ministers gathered in Chief Kim Ja-geun’s reception hall last night. The lights stayed on throughout the night, and early this morning they headed toward the royal council hall.”

“Do you know what they discussed?”

“They said it violated the clan and succession laws. They said it was impossible to take the son of Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung as His Majesty’s adopted son. They said they would settle the matter in the royal council hall tomorrow.”

It was the move I had expected.

The rules of lineage, generational rank, and degrees of kinship were the most plausible justification the Haedong Kim clan could use.

“What about Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo?”

“Two elders of the Pungyang Jo clan visited Daejojeon. They stayed for a long time.”

The sides would be arranging their positions tonight.

“Good work. Find out everything about tomorrow’s royal council.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Gwi-dong withdrew.

---

The Following Evening

Gwi-dong came rushing in, gasping for breath.

“Young Master, the matter was decided at the royal council.”

I put down my book.

“Sit down and tell me.”

Thud!

Gwi-dong sat down.

“The ministers aligned with the Haedong Kim clan opposed it, citing the succession laws. They said that Your Majesty and you were of incompatible generational ranks. But His Majesty reportedly asked them directly whether anyone had questioned generational rank when he himself ascended the throne.”

I smiled inwardly.

Well played, Cheoljong.

“What did the ministers say?”

“They couldn’t say anything. At that point, Queen Dowager Sinjeong Jo herself entered the royal council. She asked whether they were trying to lecture her on succession law. She said that choosing an heir was the king’s authority. After that, no one could say anything more.”

“What was the result?”

“His Majesty said he would proceed according to his wishes. And…”

Gwi-dong paused.

“You have been granted the princely title of Prince Waneun, Young Master.”

The room fell silent.

I closed my eyes.

Prince Waneun.

Outwardly, I was a thirteen-year-old overwhelmed by the honor and unsure what to do.

But inwardly, I was already calculating what came next.

The Haedong Kim clan had lost once today.

But it was not over.

Chief Kim Ja-geun was not a man who simply backed down.

He will definitely come to collect the debt for today’s defeat.

---

Autumn, 1860 — Servants’ Quarters, Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence, Hanseong

Kang-soe came in that evening, the same day my princely title was announced.

“His Highness Prince Waneun, I acquired two additional plots adjacent to the land in Gahak-ri. It cost twenty-five nyang, paid from the proceeds of the charcoal briquettes.”

I unfolded the documents.

They were plots adjoining the three original parcels of barren hills in Gahak-ri.

I had expanded the area where lignite deposits might be found.

“Good work. How much money do we have left?”

“After deducting the residence’s operating expenses from the first profits of the solar salt fields, we have around forty nyang left. Including the charcoal briquette profits, a little over sixty nyang.”

Sixty nyang.

That was enough money for a middle-class household to live on for two years.

It was not an insignificant amount for a thirteen-year-old to be managing.

But compared to the scale of the game I had in mind, it was still not enough.

“Kang-soe.”

“Yes, Your Highness Prince Waneun.”

“Do you know Unsan County in North Pyongan Province?”

Kang-soe thought for a moment.

“I have heard of it. I was told it is a mountainous area upriver from the Chongchon River.”

“There are signs of gold in the hills around that area.”

Kang-soe narrowed his eyes.

“Signs, or fact?”

“Signs. But they are not signs that should be ignored. If the government changes, the ban on mining may be lifted. We need to acquire the land before that happens.”

The Unsan gold mines.

At present, the hills in this area were regarded as worthless rocky mountains.

No one wanted them because they were unsuitable for farming.

No one among the people of Joseon knew that gold veins ran beneath these remote mountain lands.

Foreigners would eventually recognize the value of this land.

I had to secure it first.

“There is only one thing you need to do right now. Buy as much land as possible in the hills around Unsan County at bargain prices. It is deep mountain country where farming is impossible, so no one will want it. Buy it under your name.”

Kang-soe remained silent for a moment before nodding.

“How much should I buy?”

“Spend every penny we have. Don’t hesitate over even a single nyang.”

“When should I leave?”

“Within three days. Take Mak-soe with you. Make sure you bring back the purchase documents.”

Kang-soe was about to leave when he stopped.

There was something else he wanted to say.

“Your Highness Prince Waneun.”

“Go ahead.”

“I know. There are gangs around Chilpae and Ihyeon. They are men who extort protection money from market merchants.”

“Take control of all of them.”

“How?”

“Handle it yourself. I do not want to know how you do it.”

Kang-soe looked at me for a moment before nodding.

“Yes, Your Highness Prince Waneun.”

“And become friendly with the hunters. You can approach them under the pretext of trading tiger skins. There should be some useful men among the hunters.”

“Why do you want me to approach the hunters?”

“You will find out later. For now, simply become acquainted with them.”

Kang-soe nodded.

Just as he was about to turn around, I lowered my voice.

“One last thing.”

Kang-soe turned back.

“Find a smuggling route for obtaining opium from Qing and selling it at the Japanese port closest to Joseon. Do not do it yourself. Find someone capable of moving it. We are only making preparations.”

Kang-soe’s eyes changed.

This was on an entirely different level from buying land and selling charcoal briquettes.

“That is smuggling.”

“I know.”

“If we are caught…”

“Then don’t get caught. Just prepare for now. I am not telling you to move anything immediately.”

Kang-soe remained silent for a while before giving a short answer.

“Yes, Your Highness Prince Waneun.”

Kang-soe withdrew.

I remained seated and organized my thoughts.

Qing was collapsing under the pressure of the Opium Wars.

Britain had sold opium to Qing and drained silver from the country.

The Chinese people had become addicted to opium, and the result was the war unfolding before our eyes.

What would happen if the same weapon were turned against Japan?

It is too early to think about it.

But preparations must begin now.