Black Corporation: Joseon

“Very well. We’ll know for certain when the Oirat envoy arrives in Hanseong, but for now, let’s prepare assuming it’s military-related. Any objections?”

Hwang Hui took the lead in responding to Hyang’s question.

“None, Your Excellency. It’s a sound decision. Further speculation would be excessive and might lead us down irrelevant paths.”

All the other ministers nodded at Hwang Hui’s words.

“Good. Then let’s table the Oirat matter until their envoy arrives and move on. Hmm… Since we’ve brought up Oirat, shall we discuss the west, specifically Beijing, next?”

“That seems appropriate.”

“Then let’s break for lunch and resume our meeting afterward.”

“Yes, sir.”

Shortly after, Hyang and the ministers left Seunghwadang and headed toward the communal dining hall in the Crown Prince’s Palace.

During King Sejong’s time, he and his ministers would take lunch in the communal dining hall next to Geunjeongjeon. However, now it had become routine to take all meals from breakfast to dinner in the dining hall built in the Crown Prince’s Palace. Using Geunjeongjeon’s dining hall would have been both disloyal and unfilial, as Sejong had neither passed away nor abdicated.

Consequently, Geunjeongjeon’s dining hall was only maintained for building upkeep, while all the cooks, court ladies, and eunuchs had moved to the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“Why not just use Geunjeongjeon’s dining hall? What’s with all this hassle?”

Such complaints occasionally surfaced, but they quickly disappeared at the following words:

“You idiots! Count yourselves lucky! Want to get dragged to the new territory like those poor bastards from the Queen’s Palace?”

“Good Lord, no!”

***

While Hyang and the ministers took a brief rest after lunch in the communal dining hall, eunuchs and lower officials bustled in and out of Seunghwadang’s conference room, organizing necessary documents.

Watching the ministers taking their break in the tea room built in one corner of Seunghwadang, one of the lower officials muttered quietly.

“So enviable… When will I ever get to rest like that?”

A seemingly higher-ranking official chided him for his complaint.

“They may look comfortable, but one wrong move and it’s off to the archives until death. Still envious?”

“Isn’t that true for us too? One mistake and we’re archive-bound?”

“For us, it’s five years max unless it’s a serious crime, but for them, it’s lifetime.”

Another senior official chimed in.

“Still, isn’t it every official’s dream to be called ‘Master’ at least once in their lifetime?”

“I’d be content just being called ‘Sir.'”

“Is everything prepared?”

“Eek!”

The junior officials, who had been exchanging complaints and jokes while preparing for the next meeting, jumped at Ha Wi-ji’s sudden voice and answered hastily.

“Almost finished, sir!”

“Hurry up! His Highness will be here soon – what are you thinking, not being ready yet?”

“Yes, yes sir!”

At Ha Wi-ji’s urging, the junior officials hurriedly finished their preparations and left the conference room. After returning the hasty bows of the departing officials, Ha Wi-ji grumbled with a disgruntled expression.

“These new recruits nowadays really have no sense…”

Gwon Ram, standing nearby, smirked at Ha Wi-ji’s complaint.

“Someone hearing that might think you were a real go-getter yourself.”

“Of course I was! I passed the civil service exam with top honors! Not like some who got in through connections!”

Ha Wi-ji’s words made Gwon Ram’s expression turn fierce.

“Ha! True, I got in through special appointment, but don’t you know it’s harder to advance that way? Thanks to narrow-minded folks like you who keep bringing up examination ranks.”

“Hmph!”

“Hah!”

As the two men were locked in their battle of pride, snorting at each other, Hyang’s voice came from behind.

“My, my… Am I not fortunate to have such outstanding talents at my disposal?”

“Ack!”

“Urk!”

Startled by Hyang’s sudden appearance, Ha Wi-ji and Gwon Ram hastily stepped aside.

Hyang watched them with a sardonic smile.

“Someone might think you’d survived twenty years in the bureaucracy.”

At Hyang’s words, Gwon Ram and Ha Wi-ji’s heads bowed lower and lower.

***

Gwon Ram had entered service in 1432 (King Sejong’s 14th year) through Han Myeong-hoe’s multi-level recruitment. Ha Wi-ji had entered in 1435 (King Sejong’s 17th year). While Gwon Ram had entered service slightly earlier, Ha Wi-ji was older.

Either way, their careers of just over ten years seemed laughable to Hyang.

Hyang had already shown promise at age eight, getting involved in state affairs here and there, weathering decades alongside seasoned ministers.

***

“Still, it’s nice to see such confidence in your abilities. Very nice indeed.”

At Hyang’s words, the two men, heads deeply bowed, fell into confusion.

Is that praise or criticism?

Watching their uncertainty, Hyang gathered his thoughts before speaking.

“As it happens, I’ve been dissatisfied with the poor quality of reports from Daeseoldo and Jongjangdo. This works out perfectly. You two prepare for immediate departure.”

The two men, faces turning pale, unconsciously looked up at Hyang.

“Pardon?”

“Surely not…”

“Go conduct proper field investigations of Daeseoldo and Jongjangdo, then submit your reports. With your confident abilities, you should handle this quickly, right? I’ll give you two months.”

“Sir, just traveling to and from Daeseoldo and Jongjangdo takes almost a month!”

“Isn’t that plenty of time for men of your capabilities? Don’t tell me you were being confident without the skills to back it up? How disappointing.”

The moment the word ‘disappointing’ left Hyang’s mouth, Gwon Ram and Ha Wi-ji hastily responded.

“No, not at all!”

“We shall absolutely complete the task!”

“We’ll prepare and depart immediately!”

“I’ll send the travel permits through a eunuch.”

“Yes, sir!”

After their loud acknowledgment, Gwon Ram and Ha Wi-ji hurriedly departed. Watching them, Hyang spoke to Han Myeong-hoe and Seong Sam-mun.

“Go help them.”

“Yes, sir!”

Han Myeong-hoe and Seong Sam-mun quickly answered and hurried after the other two.

The ministers emerging from the tea room watched the four departing figures while clicking their tongues and shaking their heads.

“Tsk tsk tsk. Of all the times to get caught…”

“Indeed.”

Meanwhile, Kim Jong-seo, feeling a strange sense of kinship with the departing quartet, approached Hwang Hui and whispered.

“Did he learn it or teach it?”

Did the Crown Prince learn how to handle people from you, or did you teach him?

Understanding Kim Jong-seo’s implied meaning despite the missing subject, Hwang Hui answered briefly.

“Those near ink become black… He must have been stained.”

He learned it from His Majesty.

Meanwhile, in their office, Gwon Ram and Ha Wi-ji busily packed while raising their voices at Seong Sam-mun and Han Myeong-hoe.

“For heaven’s sake! When His Highness arrives, you should at least give us a hint!”

“Exactly! If a hint was too much, at least some sort of signal!”

To their accusations, Han Myeong-hoe shrugged and replied.

“We wanted to, but His Highness forbade it.”

“Indeed. We didn’t even sense his presence until he was right beside us.”

At Han Myeong-hoe and Seong Sam-mun’s responses, Gwon Ram and Ha Wi-ji ground their teeth while packing their belongings.

***

After this brief post-lunch drama, Hyang resumed the meeting with the ministers.

“Reports from Beijing indicate the Emperor’s health isn’t good – just how bad is it?”

“While the exact symptoms aren’t known, it seems quite serious. What’s certain is that it’s gotten worse lately.”

At Heo Hu’s response, Hyang immediately asked further.

“Is there no way to get more precise information?”

“The Emperor’s eyes and ears have become even more vigilant lately.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

Hyang couldn’t hide his genuine disappointment.

Contrary to what I vaguely remember reading, he’s holding out longer. This creates too many variables… It would be so much better if things could get easier on our side…

As Hyang expressed his regret, Hwang Hui questioned Heo Hu.

“If the Emperor’s health is that poor, shouldn’t we start paying attention to the Crown Prince?”

“We’ve been gathering information about the Crown Prince, but it’s not looking good.”

“Not looking good?”

Hwang Hui’s face turned serious at Heo Hu’s answer.

“In what way isn’t it good? Health? Character? Ability?”

To Han Myeong-hoe’s questions, Heo Hu promptly responded.

“Unlike the Emperor, his health is reportedly good, and while his ability seems slightly lacking, it’s not seriously problematic. The issue is his character. He’s said to be extremely volatile.”

“Volatile?”

“Furthermore, rumors say his relationship with the Emperor isn’t good.”

At Heo Hu’s words, the ministers’ eyes subtly shifted to Hyang.

While someone else’s father-son relationship is so good that the father dumped all his work and left…

“Haven’t rumors of poor relations between the Emperor and Crown Prince been circulating for a while?”

To Hwang Hui’s question, Heo Hu elaborated.

“They’ve grown even more distant lately. Apparently, it’s because the Emperor executed one of the Crown Prince’s closest eunuchs.”

***

“Is it truly right to entrust this country to the Crown Prince?”

This was one of the concerns plaguing Emperor Xuande lately.

While Crown Prince Zhu Qizhen had volatile tendencies, he had become considerably more composed with age.

The problem was the Crown Prince’s severely lacking insight and administrative ability – at least by Xuande’s standards.

“Though the Crown Prince may seem shallow in insight, this is an issue that time will resolve. His governance is steadily improving, so there’s no need for concern.”

Whenever Xuande voiced his concerns, the ministers would defend the Crown Prince with such words. This wasn’t mere flattery toward the Crown Prince. In reality, Zhu Qizhen’s administrative ability, while not outstanding, was averagely competent.

Xuande’s harsh evaluation of the Crown Prince stemmed from Hyang’s influence.

Xuande, strongly impressed by Hyang who, despite his youth, had confidently negotiated benefits with him without intimidation, was judging the Crown Prince against Hyang’s standard.

“Even Joseon’s Crown Prince manages this well, yet this Ming Crown Prince…!”

Thus, Xuande had harshly educated Zhu Qizhen since childhood. The excessive stress from this process had led to Zhu Qizhen developing a violent temperament.

However, as he aged and learned to control this temperament somewhat, Zhu Qizhen began receiving more positive evaluations.

But recently, a massive incident had frozen relations between Xuande and Zhu Qizhen.

Xuande had executed Wang Zhen, the Crown Prince’s closest eunuch.

***

Eunuch Wang Zhen, who had been by Zhu Qizhen’s side since childhood, was someone the Crown Prince greatly relied on.

His job had been to comfort Zhu Qizhen when he was stressed from Xuande’s harsh training. Having handled this task well and even earning Xuande’s praise, Wang Zhen showed even more devotion to Zhu Qizhen.

Like a tongue in the mouth, Wang Zhen earned Zhu Qizhen’s trust, and over time, developed ambition.

The Crown Prince becoming Emperor is inevitable! Then the position of highest authority under heaven will be mine!

With this ambition, Wang Zhen began quietly building his faction.

As Wang Zhen built his faction, existing factions began feeling threatened.

This little bastard, already!

Eventually, the existing eunuch factions reported Wang Zhen’s misconduct to Xuande, who ordered Wang Zhen’s execution.

“For the crime of blinding the Crown Prince and pursuing selfish gain! Death is warranted!”