Her Majesty’s Secret Service

075. This is Joseon! (Despair)

The long journey from Busan to Hanyang has come to an end. It seemed that the words that he would treat us as envoys were not empty words.

“Everyone is here. This is Dongpyeong Hall. “This is where you will stay from now on.”

The place we arrived at via Namdaemun-ro was a building called Dongpyeong-gwan, located at the northern foot of Namsan Mountain, where envoys from Japan stayed.

Twenty sailors who had been brought along to escort me and move things opened the door of the Dongpyeong Hall and began stacking the boxes they had brought in a corner of the Dongpyeong Hall yard.

Ten moderately sized boxes and two fairly large boxes were piled up in the yard of Dongpyeong Hall. A moderately sized box contained sugar, and a large box contained buffalo horns.

Among these, the buffalo horn and two boxes of sugar were offered to the royal family to win the king’s favor, and the remaining sugar was brought with the intention of using it as a tool to meet Yun Won-hyeong.

Just as I was about to pile up the cargo and open the box to check if the items were damaged, a man wearing an official uniform with a crane engraved on blue cloth appeared and spoke to me.

“that… Are you envoys from England? I am the Senate of the Department of Internal Affairs, who is here to welcome you as a guest. Oh, you’re Lee Yu, right? Please come this way. “I will show you where to stay.”

In my head, eunuchs were people who wore green, unpainted official uniforms, but I guess I was wrong about something.

Since the name of ‘England’ had already been known through the Dongrae County Governor, I was not surprised when the word ‘England’ appeared.

Since the Dongrae governor said that there were no Chinese characters that could write ‘England’ when he was posting the janggye, I suggested that I write the phonetic symbols separately in Korean. It seemed that the deputy had accepted my opinion.

I received guidance from an official from the internal affairs department. We were guided through the structure of the Dongpyeong Hall building.

So, the introduction of Dongpyeong-gwan is over. The Senate that had guided me so far opened his mouth as if giving me a request.

“As long as this Duke and his companions stay here, I will also stay here. If you need anything, please come to me. Oh, and for the next three days, you must not go outside of Dongpyeong Hall. “The meeting between His Majesty the Prime Minister and the government officials is scheduled to take place in three days, so I would appreciate it if you could wait for it.”

“Oh well, I understand.”

After roughly answering the eunuch’s words, I looked at the sailors standing next to the cargo waiting for my orders.

“Everyone, please find a suitable room and rest, and do not leave here for the next three days. And if you need anything, tell me first. Anyone who can speak Korean can speak directly to the ‘Sangwon’ standing here. “You’ve tried it in Dongrae, so you know it well, right?”

From noble mtl dot come

“Yes, I understand. Captain!”

After conveying to them the precautions I had heard from the eunuch, I ordered them to take a rest. It was a little awkward at first, but now giving orders was no longer awkward.

After my order was given, the sailors each chose a room they liked and settled down. Perhaps because of the time I spent in Dongrae and Japan, it didn’t seem awkward to take off my shoes and enter the room anymore.

Anyway, three days. What should I do while waiting for the next three days?

* * *

At the southern foot of Namsan Mountain, there was a village called Namsangol. Scholars who had not yet passed the civil service examination or had not yet entered the government service of their own accord lived here, and the same was true for Yulgok’s close friend, Ugye Seonghon.

“This is later than I thought. “The commander might be angry.”

When Yulgok and Ugye arrived at Ugye’s house located in Namsangol, the sky was starting to turn red with the sunset. The problem was watching the procession of the ‘Deoksu Lee family’ entering Dongpyeong Hall.

“Good fortune!!! Come out and see me!!! Yulgok has arrived!!!”

As soon as he arrived home, Ugye called out loudly to the commander and announced his return. At that sound, I heard the door open, and the fortuneteller stuck his head out from inside the room and opened his mouth as if complaining.

“Everyone is coming so quickly. What on earth did you do to come here now? “He left around noon, saying he was going to pick up Yulgok. What should I do to come back at sunset?”

In response to the captain’s complaints, Yulgok opened his mouth with an expression of apology.

“I’m sorry. I forgot to buy something new to eat. “I’m so late because I stopped by Unjongga to buy food.”

“No, this person, where is he leaving his mind? Come in! “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you?”

“Haha, this guy, if anyone sees him, they will think he admires Yulgok.”

“Oh well, I adore you! “I long for the wise words and profound learning of my Yulgok.”

Yulgok and Woogye smiled as if they couldn’t resist hearing the naturally virtuous words of the fortuneteller and entered the room.

The three people who entered the room asked about each other’s well-being and soon began discussing ‘Pajuhyangakseo’, which was said to have been written by Yulgok.

“Yulgok. “There isn’t a single mistake in what you wrote.”

“No, but the fact that the government is involved in local medicine is a bit… .”

“Let’s criticize a thief like Lim Geo-jeong for violating local regulations. Let’s assume that a merchant who can single-handedly defeat the villagers that make up Hyangyak violates Hyangyak. Even in this case, is it possible to punish the person who broke the taboo on his own without the help of the government?”

“What if you bring such an extreme example? Commander, you have always had an extreme personality… .”

“What?! Why am I talking about my personality here?! “Isn’t it time to talk about Yulgok’s words?”

The conversation between Woo-gye and Unjang started to become a bit excessive.

Yulgok, who was sitting quietly sipping his drink and listening to the conversation between the two, was worried that their friendship would be damaged if things continued like this, so he thought they should change the topic of their conversation to something else.

“You know, Unjang. How long has it been since you came to Hanyang?”

“So, you’ve been sleeping since long ago… huh? Yulgok, why are you suddenly asking that?”

“Well, I happened to buy food at Unjongga today… .”

Yulgok talked about the ‘procession’ he saw at Unjongga and the rumors he heard about the ‘Deoksu Iga’.

The two people who had been arguing just a moment ago looked puzzled as to why Yulgok would suddenly bring up this story, but soon realized the reason and joined in Yulgok’s conversation with embarrassed expressions.

“Hmm, hmm, yes. I heard the rumor about the ‘Deoksu family’. “Isn’t that the story you told me?”

“Ah, ah, that’s right. Yeah, we ended up talking about it earlier. Look at Yulgok. The story is that a person who calls himself the ‘Deoksu family’ offers sugar to the government. “Did I do it?”

Although Yulgok had heard that the righteous man who rescued the Joseon people called himself ‘Deoksu Iga’, he had not heard that he had brought ‘sugar’, so he looked at Woogye with surprised eyes.

“Sugar. “You mean that precious thing?!”

“There are rumors all over Hanyang. Was it around last month? There was a story going around that the governor of Dongnae brought half a glass of sugar to Yun Won-hyeong. Where would you get such a valuable item that even the Lord would find difficult to obtain? “Why, did you see the box they were carrying, those white-nosed people in the procession?”

“Yeah, I remember. It looked quite large, but I guess… ?”

“There’s a rumor going around that it’s all sugar. Think about it. How could the Dongrae magistrate bring sugar? And this is what I heard from a friend who works at a company… .”

“Is that what you heard?”

“The boat he came on was the size of a house and was filled with water buffalo horns and sugar. Did he say that he knew the contents of Dongrae’s governor’s decree? ? “This is absolutely a secret.”

“Huh… “There were rumors like that going around?”

“No, if this friend of Woogye knows about it, isn’t it a rumor that has already spread widely in the author?!”

“No what?! Hey, fortune! “Why can’t you say that?”

“No, the rumors you know are all rumors that are spreading in Namsangol, and the rumors that are spreading in Namsangol are all rumors that came from the author. Isn’t it true that they are rumors that are spread throughout the author?”

“Oh, is this person still?!”

Just like that, the conversation between Unjang and Woogye began to heat up again.

Seeing the two people like that, Yulgok just sighed with a helpless expression on his face and sipped his drink.

Yulgok looked away from the two people’s argument and began to think about the story he had heard from Woo-gye a little while ago.

‘Sugar and buffalo horns…’ Why on earth would someone rich enough to bring such valuables impersonate my family? I just can’t understand it. I definitely need to stop by Dongpyeong Hall and hear the whole story.’

His family’s reputation had fallen to the ground because his grandfather, ‘Iggy’, joined hands with Wonhyeong Yoon and committed all kinds of evil deeds.

Yulgok, who could not understand why a person who had brought so much valuables such as sugar and buffalo horns would impersonate such a family, resolved to meet the ‘Deoksu family’ who was staying at Dongpyeong-gwan once again.

* * *

In the middle of the evening, when the chief Ugye was arguing over the ‘source of the rumor’, the argument was in full swing at a tavern in Pimatgol.

“No, boss! Are you crazy?! Where should we rob now?!”

“Why are you so scared? “Are you a guy?”

“No, anyway, does it make sense to attack Dongpyeong Hall with less than 50 people?! What was our original plan? Robbed Yoon Won-hyeong’s house and exposed it to the people… .”

“Dude, are you still having such soft dreams?”

“what?!”

The person called Seo Du-ryeong opened his mouth with an expression that seemed to be mocking the person called Wang Du-ryeong, who had a blood vessel standing on his neck.

“Do you really think that opening up Yoonga’s warehouse was to give to those foolish people? Now is the time to find our own way to live. Opening up Yoonga’s warehouse is part of that. King Iboo. Three months ago, the old woman with whom we robbed the Haeju government office and distributed rice tipped off our location. “Have you already forgotten?”

“That is, the old woman’s grandson… .”

“Yes, that old man. “I guess she made the excuse that her parents had no place to raise them, and that their precious grandson, whom they had raised with their own hands, was being held captive, so there was nothing they could do, right?”

Leader Seo, who had been talking quietly just a moment ago, seemed to explode in anger and hit the small table in front of him with his thin, scar-filled hand. Along with the sound of a thump, a shout full of anger burst from the leader Seo’s mouth.

“That handsome grandson! That damn b*stard was never caught by the government forces! I supported my grandson with the three pieces of rice I received in return for informing Leader Seok and the Magpie Gang! That grandson?! I tore that b*stard to death myself. When I asked him before killing him, he told me the truth! To save money for my wedding with my grandmother… .”

The leader’s eyes were bloodshot and the veins on his thin hands became clear. As Seo Du-ryeong’s voice, revealing her cute appearance, seemed to get louder, the man sitting between Seo Du-ryeong and her king quietly opened her mouth.

The hard and large body like a marble stone, the beard that completely covered his chin, and the torn scar on the corner of his mouth seemed to show the life he had lived.

“Seorim. “Stop it.”

“But Director Lim!”

“I told you to stop.”

‘Im Keok-jeong’, a thief who is being pursued by the government on charges of leading hundreds of bandits to attack government offices in the Hwanghae-do and Gyeonggi-do areas and plundering the government offices’ grain, looked intently at ‘Seo Lim’ who served as his leader. . Seeing that gaze, Seo-rim closed her mouth as if she had no choice, and Im Kkeok-jeong looked around at the king and his gang gathered in this tavern and quietly opened her mouth.

“I will not condone fighting between brothers. Everyone please keep this in mind. Wangko. I apologize to Seorim. Seorim. “You too.”

“ah… I understand, Commander Lim. Seo Duryeong. “I think I took it too far.”

“… .”

At Im Kkeok-jeong’s words, the king looked frightened and hurriedly bowed his head and apologized to Seo-rim, but Seo-rim did not budge. Seeing Seo-rim like that, Lim Keok-jeong frowned slightly. He immediately straightened his expression and opened his mouth to Seolim.

“Seorim. “If you’re done fighting, continue explaining.”

“… “Yes, boss.”

A little while ago, Seorim was explaining a new plan.

The original plan was to attack the house of Yun Won-hyeong, who was famous in the capital, take enough of his wealth, and run away to use it as funds to gather a new gang. However, since the security was unexpectedly tight, they decided to attack Dongpyeong-gwan, which was less guarded than that.

“I told you earlier that the author’s rumor was correct, right? Yes, the load those snobs brought was sugar. According to what the brother who was working at Dongpyeong Gwan told me, the box brought by the nose workers was full of sugar. To exaggerate a bit, these are things that have the same value as the same weight of gold. “Even if you can’t do those things, you still have ten skills.”

Seolim seemed to be thirsty, so he lifted a glass to slightly quench his thirst and continued speaking again.

“It’s an item to present to the king, but if we had paid attention to such things, we wouldn’t have been able to visit the government office. Unlike Yoonga’s mansion, Dongpyeong-gwan’s walls are high, but the quality of the soldiers deployed is different. There are ten archers stationed at the Yun family’s mansion, but isn’t there not a single one at Dongpyeong Pavilion?

Of course, the soldiers stationed at Dongpyeong-gwan are over 60 years old, and it is said that if we block the gate and hold out, we will be at a disadvantage, but don’t we have a leader? “If Commander Lim takes the lead and his brothers follow, he can take out about 60 government troops in an instant.”

“Seorim, you are trying to exploit me. What if they bring reinforcements? “What are you going to do then?”

“Dongpyeong-gwan has high walls and only one gate, so if you close the gate tightly and don’t let anyone get out, you won’t be able to call in other soldiers. Think about it, Mr. Lim. It’s safer and you can make more money than robbing Yoonga’s mansion. “Why would you attack the Yun family’s mansion?”

After Seo-rim finished speaking, Lim Keok-jeong glanced around once again. Every time his eyes touched, each and every one of the thieves in the tavern tensed, as if they were afraid of Im Keok-jeong.

“Brothers, do you have any other opinions?”

When Im Kkeok-jeong seemed to agree with Seo-rim’s opinion, King Duryeong, who had opposed the attack on Dongpyeong-gwan just a moment ago, kept his mouth shut and said nothing.

“If there is no other opinion, I will decide to hit Dongpyeong-gwan as Seorim said. Seorim. “What is the date of the cancellation?”

“Please go as you originally planned. Two days later, hash horse. “By attacking at the end of the year.”

The shadow of a band of thieves began to fall over Dongpyeong Hall. The shadow of a band of thieves in charge of sweetening sugar.

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*Dongpyeong-gwan is a building built on the northern foot of Namsan Mountain, where Euljiro is now located, and was the building where envoys from Japan stayed when they visited. Because it was built on the northern foot of Namsan Mountain, that is, on a mountain, Japanese envoys were able to fully understand the roads of Hanyang, and the information obtained in this way was of great help to the Japanese army’s advance during the Japanese invasions of Korea.

*In Joseon, sugar was a precious commodity that had to depend solely on imports. There is a well-known story, that when Queen Soheon, the wife of King Sejong the Great, lay ill and bedridden, she wanted sugar, but she ended up not being able to get it.

In Joseon, the expressions “sugar” and “sadang” were used together to refer to sugar, and in the work, the expression “sugar” was unified.