ERDIKG 13

Chapter 13

Spring, 1861 — A Catholic Believer’s House in Hanseong

Father Dubois arrived in Hanyang at night. It was a Catholic believer’s house inside Hanyang that his servant Gaksim had arranged in advance.

It consisted of only a single room. As Father Dubois entered, he set down his belongings and looked at his servant, Gaksim.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Servant Gaksim’s eyes widened before he lowered his head.

“Get some rest. We leave at dawn tomorrow.”

Servant Gaksim closed the door.

I went to see him that night.

My servant Maksoe checked the alley ahead of us, but there was no sign of anyone nearby.

Inside the room, Father Dubois was sitting in a hanbok, with his topknot still in place.

When he saw me, he nodded.

“We leave at dawn tomorrow?”

“Yes. A ship will depart from Mapo Ferry. It will travel around the western coast before heading north. It will take three days to reach Haeju in Hwanghae Province. From there, if you continue north along the coast of Hamgyeong Province until you reach the mouth of the Tumen River, the route to Primorsky Krai will open up.”

Father Dubois nodded.

I took two sheets of paper from inside my robe.

“The first contains the contact information for the Paris Foreign Missions Society. Servant Gaksim learned of it through his connections with Catholic believers. Once you reach Primorsky Krai, use this route to establish contact with European merchants. We need the technology to manufacture modern rifles and ammunition. I will cover the cost.”

Father Dubois accepted the paper and slowly unfolded it to read.

“The second is the contact point in Primorsky Krai. Once you arrive, look for this name. He is a Korean merchant operating on the Russian side. He will help you find a place to stay.”

Father Dubois accepted the second sheet as well.

“How will you send the money?”

“I’ll send it through the smuggling route around Uiju. Once you reach Primorsky Krai, establish a means of contact. You’ll receive the first message within half a year.”

Father Dubois folded the two sheets of paper and tucked them deep inside his clothes.

A brief silence passed before Father Dubois spoke.

“I think I’ll miss doenjang-guk.”

I looked at Father Dubois for a moment.

“You can have it in Primorsky Krai as well. Koreans are already crossing the Tumen River.”

Father Dubois gave a small chuckle.

“I suppose that’s true.”

Another silence fell before Father Dubois spoke again.

“Young Master, may I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“What do you hope will become of this country?”

I did not hesitate.

“I hope it doesn’t fall.”

Father Dubois looked at me.

“Is that all?”

“If we don’t want it to fall, we have to become stronger. And if we want to become stronger, we have to act right now. That’s all.”

Father Dubois nodded.

The room fell silent for a moment.

“At dawn tomorrow, my family’s servant Gangsoe will escort you. Trust my family’s servant Gangsoe.”

“Understood.”

I left the room.

Spring, 1861 — Mapo Ferry, Hanseong

Before dawn, my family’s servant Gangsoe escorted Father Dubois to the ferry.

At Mapo Ferry, the boatman Jeong, a man under the influence of the Hunchback faction, was waiting with a small boat. It looked as though the boat had already been loaded with luggage.

Father Dubois boarded the boat.

My family’s servant Gangsoe untied the rope, and the oars cut through the water.

Splash! Splash!

The boat disappeared into the fog.

My family’s servant Gangsoe remained standing at the ferry until the boat could no longer be seen, then turned around and walked away.

A few days later, Gwidong came in.

“Your Highness Prince Waneun, there is news concerning Kim Jageun, the leader of the Haedong Kim Clan.”

“Tell me.”

“It seems the spy we placed in that village finally submitted a report. Apparently, a Western priest had been hiding in the village for eighteen years, but disappeared a few days ago. Grand Lord Kim Jageun of the Haedong Kim Clan ordered them to search around Mapo Ferry.”

I nodded.

It had already been two days since the priest departed, so by now, he should have been somewhere in the middle of the West Sea.

They had set out to search Mapo Ferry, but they were already too late.

The misinformation had bought us two days, and those two days were everything.

“Gwidong, well done.”

Gwidong blinked.

“Thank you, Your Highness Prince Waneun.”

“But, Gwidong.”

Gwidong raised his eyes.

“Grand Lord Kim Jageun of the Haedong Kim Clan is going to change now. He’ll stop merely watching and start taking direct action. From now on, be twice as careful whenever you move outside the residence.”

“Yes, Your Highness Prince Waneun.”

“Tell my family’s servant Gangsoe as well. Make sure the people at the ferry keep their mouths shut again. Word must not get out that a boat departed from Mapo Ferry at dawn.”

“Yes, Your Highness Prince Waneun.”

Gwidong withdrew.

Servant Gaksim, who had been standing beside me, asked,

“Your Highness Prince Waneun, will Father Dubois really be able to arrive safely?”

“There is a boatman familiar with the route as far as Hwanghae Province. From there, the priest knows the northern regions better. He’s spent eighteen years walking all across the eight provinces of Joseon, after all.”

Servant Gaksim nodded, then hesitated before moving his lips.

“Your Highness, will Father Dubois really be able to return?”

I looked at servant Gaksim.

“He came to Joseon intending to bury his bones here. He’ll return of his own accord.”

Spring, 1861 — The Sarangchae of Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence in Hanseong

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung received the land deed in the afternoon.

He read the letter twice before unfolding the land deed.

Two tiled houses beneath Namsan and three plots of farmland nearby.

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s eyes slowly scanned the land deed.

Four hundred nyang.

The residence cost less than a hundred nyang to maintain for an entire year, so four hundred nyang was enough to comfortably sustain the residence for four years.

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

[Your son is exceptionally intelligent, so I have high hopes for his future. However, if he enters the world too early, it may instead bring disaster. I hope you, my lord, will keep a close eye on him.]

Thud!

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung placed the letter down on the cabinet.

A bitter smile briefly crossed his lips.

This was the first time Grand Lord Kim Jageun of the Haedong Kim Clan had personally sent him a letter.

That meant Prince Waneun had gotten under Kim Jageun’s skin.

The land worth four hundred nyang was the price of his silence.

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung sat there holding the land deed for a long while before calling servant Gaksim.

“Call Jaemyeon.”

Spring, 1861 — The Sarangchae of Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence in Hanseong

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung was waiting for me.

The way he repeatedly opened and closed his fan told me that he had a lot on his mind.

I entered and sat down.

“Did you call for me, Father?”

“Sit.”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung held out the land deed and letter.

“Look.”

I read the letter.

Then I unfolded the land deed, and its contents immediately became clear.

It was from Grand Lord Kim Jageun of the Haedong Kim Clan.

Four hundred nyang.

And the final line of the letter.

So he had made his move.

I folded the letter and asked,

“Is this the first time Grand Lord Kim Jageun has personally sent you a letter?”

“It is.”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung looked at me.

“Jaemyeon, you’re getting too involved.”

I looked at my father.

“You’ve been searching for Catholic villages, taking control of the thugs in the marketplaces, and seizing the ferry routes. Is that something a fourteen-year-old should be doing? Do you understand what it means that Grand Lord Kim Jageun personally sent you a letter?”

“I do.”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s eyebrows rose.

“If you knew, why didn’t you stop?”

“Because I can’t stop.”

Thud!

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung closed his fan.

“Don’t you realize this letter is a threat? Grand Lord Kim Jageun is pushing four-hundred-nyang worth of land at me and telling me to keep my son under control. Do you know what will happen if I refuse it?”

“I know.”

“And yet?”

I looked straight at my father.

“Father, you must not accept that land.”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung fell silent.

“Do you know how much that land is really worth?”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung narrowed his eyes.

“You said it was worth four hundred nyang.”

“No. That land is worth your freedom, Father.”

The room became silent.

“Do you know why Grand Lord Kim Jageun is giving you that land? He’s trying to silence you. The moment you accept that land, both you and I will fall under Grand Lord Kim Jageun’s control. Can a man who has accepted land from someone ever turn a sword against the person who gave it to him?”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung slowly lowered his head.

He touched the land deed with his fingertips, then withdrew his hand.

I continued.

“Father, why do you think Grand Lord Kim Jageun sent this letter now? It’s because he’s become afraid of me. He’s become afraid of a fourteen-year-old boy. When a frightened man spends money, it means he has no other way to stop us.”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung slowly raised his head.

His eyes as he looked at me were different now.

“You can see even this far ahead?”

I lowered my head.

“Father, if we accept this letter, the residence will remain under Grand Lord Kim Jageun forever. But if we send it back, things change. The court will learn that Grand Lord Kim Jageun cannot buy Heungseon-gun with money. That is what you are worth, Father.”

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung remained silent for a long while.

His fan opened again, then slowly closed.

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung called servant Gaksim.

“Bring the land deed and the letter.”

Servant Gaksim brought them.

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung picked up the land deed and stared at it for a long time before handing it, together with the letter, to servant Gaksim.

“Return them to Grand Lord Kim Jageun’s residence. Tell him we are grateful for his excessive generosity, but we are not in a position to accept it.”

Servant Gaksim’s eyes widened before he lowered his head.

“Yes, My Lord.”

Servant Gaksim withdrew.

Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung looked at me.

His expression was complicated.

Anger, recognition, and fear were all mixed together in his eyes.

“What will you do from here?”

“Grand Lord Kim Jageun will make his next move. We just need to wait for it and block it.”

“Is that all?”

“That is all.”

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

Whoosh.

“Leave.”

I bowed my head and left the sarangchae.

Spring, 1861 — The Inner Quarters of Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung’s Residence in Hanseong

Servant Gaksim came in.

“Your Highness Prince Waneun, there are signs that the Haedong Kim Clan is preparing a petition to the Royal Council. It seems they’re planning to raise the issue of the Prince Waneun title under the clan-law succession system again.”

If money didn’t work, they would attack through legitimacy.

I called Gwidong and had him sit down.

“The Haedong Kim Clan is preparing a petition concerning clan succession law. Before that petition reaches the Royal Council, we need to inform Her Majesty Queen Sinjeong Jo first. Send the news through servant Gaksim.”

Gwidong nodded.

“How should I convey the message?”

“Keep it simple. Grand Lord Kim Jageun tried to stop Prince Waneun by offering Heungseon-gun Yi Ha-eung land worth four hundred nyang, but it didn’t work. So now he’s planning to shake Prince Waneun’s title through a petition to the Royal Council.”

Gwidong’s eyes lit up.

“Could Her Majesty already be preparing for this?”

“She could. But the fact that I tell her first is important in itself. Her Majesty needs to know that I’m keeping an eye on the movements within the court.”

Gwidong nodded and withdrew.

I sat down and organized my thoughts.

If Grand Lord Kim Jageun brought up the clan succession petition, it would be Queen Sinjeong Jo who would stop it.

She had stepped forward to block it during the previous Royal Council session, and the same situation was unfolding again.

But this time was different.

Last time, she had been defending against something the King had declared first.

This time, the Haedong Kim Clan was launching the first attack.

It was time for Her Majesty Queen Sinjeong Jo to shift from defense to offense.

And I had to give her the justification for that attack.