The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 10



< In Hawaii (2) >

‘Yoo Gil-jun.’

The man sitting in front of me was once a promising reformist bureaucrat.

One of the few people who realized for himself how backward the political and administrative system of Joseon was while studying abroad at Boston University in the United States.

‘But… it never bloomed.’

Yu Gil-jun was semi-imprisoned in Japan until I rescued him.

This is because he watched Joseon’s political system regress after the Gabo Reforms and then did something about it.

Yu Gil-jun who was caught plotting to start a radical revolution.

After that he took his two sons and went into exile in Japan.

‘The Japanese government imprisoned the three rich men in their homes.’

As requested by Emperor Gojong the Japanese government could have sent them all back to Joseon.

But Ito Hirobumi was a smarter man than you might think.

He planned to use Yu Gil-jun as another card.

It was intended to be used as a counter-intimidation card when Gojong did not listen to Japan.

But Yu Gil-jun was not easygoing either.

Although he was in exile he did not cooperate with Japan.

Because of that Yu Gil-jun’s house arrest continued for a full four years.

It was like trying to avoid a rain shower and ending up in a typhoon.

“You are so worried about us… I would die right now and have nothing to say.”

Yu Gil-jun expressed his gratitude to me with tears in his eyes.

I apologized sincerely because I was able to escape from the prison-like Japan.

“Considering what has happened so far the three of us deserve to die.”

“Yes Your Majesty. I will never forget Your Majesty’s kindness.”

The first son Yu Man-gyeom.

The second son Yu Eok-gyeom also seemed to agree bowing his head deeply and repeatedly apologizing.

I watched this with my arms crossed.

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Then among the three Irish brothers who had followed me Max made a sour expression and whispered in a small voice behind me.

“You bastards of the world. If you have any shame you should apologize.”

“Max!”

“You’re just talking big. Your Majesty has a big heart. If it were me I would’ve thrown those three guys into the sea right away.”

“Max! Shut your mouth.”

“Why brother! Those guys would survive even if they fell into the sea. Those babbling mouths would still float. Ouch!”

Aaron couldn’t stand it any longer and started hitting Max’s ribs harder getting a little angry.

“Max. They’re the boss’s men now. To insult them is to insult the boss.”

“But…brother. Have you forgotten what those guys did to Boss?”

Whispers from Max and Aaron.

Since he was speaking in English Yu Gil-jun’s sons tilted their heads.

As Yu Gil-jun himself understood his face gradually turned red.

He must be embarrassed because he knows very well that he was wrong.

‘As Max claims among those three rich men Yu Gil-jun did me a great wrong.’

Because of the interest Gojong and I.

No.

To be exact the relationship between Lee Kang and Gojong broke down.

1901.

Yu Gil-jun planned a radical revolution in the Korean Empire.

Up to that point it could be considered normal individual behavior.

Because I acted according to my belief that I would save the country.

The problem comes next.

The plan was to oust Emperor Gojong and put Yi Gang in his place as the next Marshal.

King Gojong was a believer in absolute monarchy.

On the other hand Lee Kang had been eating American food to some extent so he had a somewhat open attitude toward a Western-style constitutional monarchy.

It seems that this is why Yu Gil-jun planned such a plan.

‘Anyway… thanks to that guy Prince Ui has completely become a duck egg from the Nakdong River.’

Would Emperor Gojong the embodiment of power have left Lee Kang alone?

After the revolution failed Gojong began to view Yi Kang as a potential rival rather than his son.

And then quite naturally Lee Kang’s right to the next throne also flew away.

‘It’s annoying to think about the past but…’

I needed someone to work right now.

‘I’ve met many successful businessmen living in the modern world.’

They defined the three elements of business as items people and capital.

‘It’s an item. As a modern person I know the knowledge of the past so I can use it to some extent.’

Capital is also gradually being accumulated.

Because it is planned to be expanded using Emperor Gojong’s secret funds and the concubines’ activity support funds as seed money.

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So there’s only one thing left.

He is a person.

‘The problem is that there are many people but there are no useful and trustworthy ones.’

It’s the same around me.

There were five people who followed me.

Three of them are foreigners.

The three brothers of Irish immigrant origin were extremely loyal but not very good.

‘Aaron is the only one who earns some money for the meal.’

But Aaron also had a physical defect so he could not be used with care.

Because he was a hunchback.

Because of that there may be some restrictions on external activities.

‘At least the two Koreans are better.’

These two alone were not enough.

Since Yu Gil-jun is an elite who even studied abroad if he utilizes the interest well he will be able to manage my business more easily.

of course.

I can’t completely trust him though as he has a history of plotting something sinister behind my back.

If I use this as a whip to exploit the author for the rest of his life I may be able to make more than my initial investment so I am going to bet a little boldly on interest.

‘The next succession to the throne is completely lost…’

I bet you got some money from your concubine too.

I brought Yu Gil-jun from Tokyo so that I no longer had to worry about Emperor Gojong’s feelings.

I reached out my hand as I watched Yu Gil-jun quietly shedding tears.

“I forgave you five days ago. No I can say that I have taken you in now. So stop and take care of yourself. Aren’t you mine now?”

I repeated what Aaron said.

Then Aaron glances at Max.

With an expression that says ‘Are you right hyung?’

“Whew… Boss too. Really. It’s not good to like someone too much.”

“Max!”

“Ah… I understand. Why do you keep hitting my side hyung? It hurts!”

Phew… I can hear everything.

That guy really seems like he doesn’t care about what other people think.

‘still….’

Because of that guy Yu Gil-jun will feel even more indebted to him.

I will work harder.

That’s why I didn’t stop Max I just glanced at him.

At this point we should just call Aaron in later and give him a little warning.

“Ahem… As I said last time if you are atonement for your past sins then you will serve me by my side. I mean until your bones break.”

I patted Yu Gil-jun on the shoulder.

Then he blurted out the following words:

“In that sense wouldn’t you like to talk to me for a bit? Oh everyone else please leave. I have something to talk about with you alone.”

* * *

Yu Gil-jun looked at me with anxious eyes.

My mind is in a state of confusion wondering what on earth I should say.

“We’ve come this far.”

I looked at the world map hanging in the room and pointed at it.

Yu Gil-jun narrowed his eyes and confirmed the location pointing to the middle of the North Pacific Ocean.

“The intermediate destination is Hawaii… so we’re more than halfway there. So…”

I trailed off a little and then turned my head back to Yu Gil-jun and continued.

“Before we arrive in Hawaii… there’s something I want to ask you.”

“Just speak. I will tell you everything I know without lying.”

I snapped my fingers and asked a question that had been on my mind.

“I would like to know some information about the officials in Hanyang.”

I don’t know much about Korean history.

Because I was a second-generation Korean-American born and raised in the United States.

Excluding Emperor Gojong’s slush funds it can be said that the memories of Lee Kang the original body are almost all there is.

That’s why I wanted to ask Yu Gil-jun who has some experience about this.

His testimony and memories with Lee Kang.

The purpose is to analyze the current situation by cross-checking the two opinions.

“As you know I’ve been wandering around the United States for the past six years. I don’t know anything about domestic politics.”

Yu Gil-jun blinks his eyes.

I guess it’s because you didn’t expect me to ask you this question.

I continued talking while looking at Yu Gil-jun like that.

“Even when I lived in Hanyang I didn’t get close to politics. I was afraid that I might be misunderstood.”

He mentioned the dead Empress Myeongseong.

Then “Ah!” Yu Gil-jun nodded with an expression of understanding.

“The facts are good and your opinion which is full of your own opinions is also good. Just tell me what is true.”

“Okay first…”

When he first spoke Yu Gil-jun explained everything one by one in a calm voice.

but.

“I don’t know about other guys but Your Majesty you must not get close to that guy Yun Chi-ho.”

When one guy was mentioned he started yelling.

“Yun Chi-ho?”

“Yes. He is a traitor who betrayed our comrades.”

It seems that he has changed his line from reformist to conservative.

It seemed that this guy was the one who exposed Yu Gil-jun’s revolutionary plan.

“Yeah yeah. Okay. I like stories full of personal opinions like this.”

I got a lot of information about those in Hanyang from Yu Gil-jun.

I nodded while taking notes.

I told Yu Gil-jun openly that I was interested.

“I have one more question. I would also like to know about Koreans living in the United States and international students…”

I understand that expression.

You might be wondering.

Why are you asking yourself these questions when you’re stuck in Japan?

“You were under house arrest in Japan but didn’t you exchange quite a few letters? I heard you were mostly in contact with people in America.”

Yu Gil-jun may know something I don’t.

I can also recommend someone you should be close to in the US.

“Tell me who I should pay attention to and who I should watch out for.”

I wish Lee Kang’s memory was intact but his memory of what happened during the immersion process was slightly fragmented.

‘I have to save people in the future.’

I needed local people but I also needed fellow Koreans so I wanted to get more information from Yu Gil-jun.

“I don’t have much information that will be of much help but I will tell you everything I can remember. I heard that Woo Sa and Do San are prominent among Koreans in the United States. Ah… Your Majesty would know more about Woo Sa.”

Dosan is Ahn Chang-ho’s pen name.

Woo-sa refers to Kim Kyu-sik.

“Usagi is my comrade so I know more than you.”

“Yes that would be the case.”

Kim Kyu-sik was a talented person who studied abroad in the United States with Lee Kang.

A classmate from Roanoke College.

Since they were close friends in private much information about Kim Kyu-sik already existed through Lee Kang’s memories.

“Ah… I heard that Woo-sung is a very promising man.”

A talented person named Park Yong-man was also mentioned by Yu Gil-jun.

He was a passionate young man with a fiery personality and he was full of praise for him.

“I also heard that a Korean recently enrolled at George Washington University… He is said to be very intelligent. I am sorry but I cannot remember his name because I am getting older Your Majesty.”

“Strangely enough I too am like that. I know his face. But like you I can’t remember his name.”

In Lee Kang’s memory there was also a Korean who attended George Washington University.

I think I heard it from Kim Kyu-sik.

The problem is that I can’t remember the name.

‘I think I’ve heard of him before when I was living as Park Byung-jun… Anyway I should meet him sometime when I go to the East.’

I quickly got up from my seat and smiled brightly at Yu Gil-jun.

“Thank you. Thanks to you my curiosity has been answered. Now take a rest.”

From now on all the chores will be taken care of by Interest.

You must be healthy.

I glanced at Yu Gil-jun and then went out to the room.

* * *

In addition to what I had written down I also copied down everything I had talked about with Yu Gil-jun into my notebook.

Memories are so volatile that you might easily forget them so I wrote them down.

“Your Majesty has arrived.”

Finally the fantasy island of Hawaii.

I finally set foot on land after a full 20 days.

“majesty!”

“No Usagi! Were you in Hawaii?”

“Yes. I stopped by here for a bit of business.”

“Huh… Then let’s meet at the hotel.”

“I wanted to see Your Majesty’s face as soon as possible.”

Before I left Japan I sent a telegram to Hawaii in advance to inform the Koreans there that I was visiting Hawaii.

Is that why?

Kim Kyu-sik came to the port to greet me and welcome me.

“This way Your Majesty.”

Privately we are close friends but there are a lot of eyes watching us here these days.

That’s why Kim Kyu-sik treated me with respect and guided me around the island.

‘Whew… So this is Hawaii in the 1900s.’

Afterwards I went to the Honolulu hotel where I was staying.

On the way I saw a huge farm and I pressed myself closer to the window to observe it closely.

‘That place is….’

A field of sugarcane spread out before my eyes.

‘There are a lot of people.’

Sugarcane is a representative cash crop.

Growing this took a lot more work than I thought.

It is a labor-intensive industry which means that labor costs are high.

For this reason sugar plantation owners filled most of their workers with early immigrants who had just arrived in America.

“Let’s stop here for a moment.”

“Oh yes. I understand. Hey James hold on a sec!”

The sugarcane fields of Hawaii were full of Asians.

There are quite a few Chinese and Japanese people too.

A significant number of them were Koreans.

“Can’t you work quickly?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Anyway you’re so slow… Hey you! Are you going to keep acting like a turtle? If you keep acting like that I’ll send you back to Joseon!”

“Please look at me just once.”

Korean is heard in the sugarcane fields.

The majority are Koreans who grow sugarcane.

But the middle managers who managed them were also Koreans.

They were savagely persecuting their fellow countrymen.

“Isn’t that funny brother?”

Kim Kyu-sik came to me.

The only people who got off the carriage were me and Kim Kyu-sik.

That’s why he let go of his words.

“We all came to Hawaii together but some people work themselves to the bone while others just talk the talk and get paid more.”

“How were the authors chosen? Are they talented or eloquent?”

I pointed to the middle managers and asked.

Then Kim Kyu-sik answered.

“no.”

“Then how?”

“It’s just because of the way it looks.”

“Appearance?”

“Look at that. Most of the middle managers have white skin and big eyes. They are being ostracized just because they look like Westerners.”

This is a scene where racial discrimination is very clearly revealed.

As a modern person I studied Belgium’s colonial management in world history class.

Wow! I never thought I would see such a sight here.

“Please leave. Those people are suffering more because of you. They tend to be even more picky when outsiders come.”

Because the farm might be sold.

They say that if you show the workers working hard the price will go up more or something.

“You’ll be able to meet everyone tomorrow anyway. So please go quickly.”

Tomorrow is Sunday.

Although there is freedom of religion in the United States where Christianity is only half the state religion everyone rested on this day.

“Okay. I’m leaving now.”

I got on the carriage with a bitter heart.

As the carriage drove away I bit my lower lip as the farm scenery disappeared.

* * *

The next day came.

“majesty.”

“Come this way.”

I guess they rented a huge empty lot because I came.

There were a lot of Koreans there.

According to Kim Kyu-sik this was the largest gathering of Koreans in Hawaiian history.

‘This much?’

Everyone is gathered here to see me.

I felt anew how great my influence as a member of the royal family was.

‘Because their consciousness is still that of Joseon people.’

I immigrated to the United States but I still haven’t completely gotten over it.

“Your Majesty. It’s over there.”

A podium set up on one side of the vacant lot.

I came to stand at the highest place.

I took a deep breath looked at the gathered group and opened my mouth.

“Thank you for coming all the way here despite your busy schedule. I am Lee Kang-il from Uiwang.”

quiet.

I don’t know if you’ve come to welcome me or to curse me.

After swallowing hard I continued with what I had prepared.

“I should have come earlier. I stopped by here because I had something I really wanted to tell you.”

Then something unexpected came out of my mouth.

< In Hawaii (2) > End