The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 155



< Funeral (2) >

Lee Hang-gu arrived home safely.

But the people of this river sent him away without touching him even a single hair.

Buzz buzz buzz-

This port was shaking in fear for a while in its house.

Because that moment of shock on the Siberian train kept coming back to his mind over and over again.

‘Damn it why did it have to be my father…’

At this crucial time his father Lee Wan-yong is absent.

According to Kano who worked at the port’s house for a long time Yi Wan-yong went on a short business trip to the archipelago to discuss the annexation of Korea with the Japanese government.

This port wanted to discuss this matter with Yi Wan-yong as soon as possible.

That’s why Lee Hang-gu was looking forward to his father’s return as soon as possible.

“lily.”

“Why are you doing that?”

“You should enter the palace soon.”

“….”

“I know you must be very tired from the aftereffects but you rested for so long.”

Like his father Lee Wan-yong this port has been making money for generations.

As an official of the Korean Empire he had to appear in court once a week.

“i get it.”

This port really didn’t want to go to work.

But he couldn’t stay cooped up in the house forever so he walked with hurried steps to the carriage parked in front of the house.

“Just give me a penny. Just give me a penny.”

Yi Wan-yong was the Prime Minister of the Korean Empire.

It can be seen that he has more power than the puppet emperor.

That’s why there were quite a few beggars in front of his front yard.

“Ugh. I’m drunk.”

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There are people walking around with bowls asking for small amounts of money and there are also drunkards staggering around.

“I’m selling some good stuff. Come and take a look.”

You can also see some peddlers who are just busy selling their wares.

“Hey you punk. How long do you think you’re going to live your life in this land?”

Meanwhile there are those who are heaping bad words on this port.

This port usually ignored them and went along but today perhaps because he was sensitive each and every one of their various appearances entered his field of vision.

“This port. Yes I’m watching you. Bbangya- Be careful.”

The drunkard who had been lying around pretending to be drunk just a moment ago makes a sniping motion and then suddenly gets up and leaves.

If it were normal I would wonder why that crazy guy is doing such nonsense again.

“Ugh…..”

Today was different.

In Lee Hang-gu’s eyes the drunkard looked like a killer hired by Lee Kang.

‘Could that guy be from Uiwang? He can’t be. He can’t be.’

Everything is questionable.

The merchant selling cotton at the market also seems to be from Uiwang.

The doctor who came to treat the mental illness also seemed like a spy who took the king’s money.

Even.

Even the Ganos who had served this port for a long time were not very good.

It can be seen that the actions that began with this suspicion were also actions that began with filtering out some of the relatives who had moved to the Primorsky Krai.

“lily.”

The only reliable one Dolsoe approached Ihang-gu.

The port asked what was wrong while being hit with a latch with a gaunt face.

“Your Majesty has just arrived in Jemulpo. I think he will return tomorrow. Shouldn’t we clean up the house a bit?”

“okay.”

What should he report to his father Lee Wan-yong?

To this port.

The time of choice has come.

* * *

“Your complexion doesn’t look very good.”

Lee Wan-yong glanced at Lee Hang-gu’s face and made a pitiful expression.

Although he was more serious about treason than anyone else he was a normal head of the household.

Like any other father he was concerned about his son’s health.

“It looks like you got treated badly by the Siberian general.”

“…yes.”

Lee Hang-gu answered Lee Wan-yong’s questions in a powerless short answer format.

Because I still haven’t figured it out.

To tell you the truth.

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Or should I tell a lie?

“Come and sit here.”

After finding the bear statue in Sarangchae Lee Wan-yong lit it.

“So did things go well? How did the king react?”

Lee Hang-gu who had been silent for a moment opened his mouth with difficulty.

“We have agreed to forgive [our family’s] sins if you pass on useful information.”

This port decided to report the facts first.

Of course I didn’t say everything as it was.

I arbitrarily deleted some parts that my father found uncomfortable.

“He forgives [the family’s] sins…”

Lee Wan-yong chuckled and laughed.

“You’ve become really arrogant because you made some money in America. It’s been five years since you were so upset because you couldn’t return home.”

Lee Wan-yong seemed to be recalling memories from the past.

Lee Hang-gu was trembling with fear as he looked at his father like that.

“Yeah. What kind of guy do you think Lee Kang is?”

The port answered in a crawling voice his gaze fixed on the floor.

“He seemed quite… dangerous. His abilities seemed to be exceptional just as rumored.”

“okay?”

Lee Wan-yong watched Lee Hang-gu like that and said something contrary.

“The King of Ui is smart but he has a short temper and easily reveals his emotions. That’s why he was not a person who could become a great person.”

For Lee Kang Lee Hang-gu was not a particularly difficult opponent.

Moreover this port was very timid.

Lee Kang was unusually angry and kept pressuring Lee Hang-gu.

Is that why?

In Lee Hang-gu’s mind Lee Kang was exactly as Lee Wan-yong had described him.

“You still have a short temper and show your emotions easily but… don’t your strengths sometimes overshadow your weaknesses?”

Even if your personality isn’t that great.

There are cases where people succeed when their skills are so overwhelming.

In response to this port’s report Lee Wan-yong was silent for a moment as he recalled these cases.

“Hmm… If you think about it America is a plutocrat unlike Japan or us. There is no king. It is a country where money is power.”

Unlike other scholars Lee Wan-yong knew America well.

The reason I was able to speak English freely while studying abroad in the United States as a child was because I learned it directly from interacting with Americans.

“It seems like he’s finally realized his talent for making money and is raking in the gold. He doesn’t stop there he’s also been throwing money here and there and projecting his influence. Well he’s doing his best.”

“….”

“Even King Ui did not waste his age. Unlike my father he is showing his true colors as a member of the Daewonwi clan albeit belatedly. Ha! If only it had been ten years earlier.”

Lee Wan-yong made a face that seemed to indicate that something was missing.

He seemed a little sad and regretful.

“father.”

“Okay. Tell me.”

Yi Hang-gu also informed Yi Wan-yong of the future that Yi Kang had predicted and reported that his offer to build a bridge between Uiwang and the Japanese government had been rejected.

“When true independence comes then will you return to your country?”

“yes.”

“And when true independence comes you will establish a special committee on anti-national activities?”

“…yes.”

“Ha! That’s quite an interesting thing to say. Hahaha.”

Lee Wan-yong denied the future that Lee Kang had predicted.

Because the Korean Empire will soon be merged with Japan and the two countries will become one.

forever.

‘But you never know what will happen in this world.’

That’s why I wanted to send my son here and put one foot in front of Lee Kang.

Because I’m secretly vowing revenge.

Exactly as Lee Kang predicted.

If he becomes independent his family will be wiped out.

Lee Wan-yong thought that his choice this time was the right one.

“Why? Do you have anything else to say to me?”

When Lee Hang-gu showed a drooping appearance today Lee Wan-yong wiggled one eyebrow and urged his son.

“Oh no.”

“You can fool others but you can’t fool your father.”

When this port is about to reveal the painful and hidden truth.

Lee Wan-yong spoke first.

“It seems like you’re curious about my story about my trip to Japan.”

“…yes.”

“Okay. I’ll let you know.”

Lee Wan-yong told his son about what happened during his business trip.

“I went to Tokyo to discuss the merger issue with the Sone Governor.”

“So… did you finish your work well?”

“I think I should go there again next time.”

“Why is that? Prime Minister Katsura and Resident-General Sone too. Don’t they all want to end this matter quickly?”

Lee Wan-yong sighed deeply and shook his head.

“It seems that the political situation in Japan has become chaotic.”

also?

When Lee Hang-gu tilted his head Lee Wan-yong explained it.

“You probably know it. It’s the new airplane that Uiwang has developed.”

“ah!”

“It seems that an agreement was reached to introduce this exclusively to the Army… but it seems that the Japanese Navy Minister suddenly broke his promise.”

Originally it was agreed that only the Navy’s budget would be restored to its original state.

The aircraft was to be introduced only by the Japanese Army.

but.

The big picture began to unravel when Lee Kang mentioned to the British press the possibility of a new weapon called an “aircraft carrier.”

“Prime Minister Katsura is having a hard time mediating between the army and the navy.”

Lee Wan-yong clicked his tongue and slyly criticized the Japanese government.

Joseon was also a country in turmoil due to factionalism but it seems that present-day Japan is also like that so I cursed at it.

“Furthermore the Imperial Diet was thrown into an uproar when that bastard King Ui mentioned that while the current Prime Minister that bastard Katsura was a piece of trash that couldn’t even compete with him the former Prime Minister Saionji was someone he could at least communicate with.”

A fight between the Army and the Navy is also a fight.

As the hardliners and moderates who had been quiet began debating the issue again the major issue of Japan-Korea annexation became a secondary issue.

“As you said this guy King Ui seems to be no ordinary guy. Judging from the way he can turn the whole of Japan upside down with just one word.”

When Lee Wan-yong floated Uiwang Lee Hang-gu’s expression darkened even more.

The number of words has also decreased.

At this Lee Wan-yong made a displeased expression.

“Why? Is it because of Uiwang? Strangely whenever Uiwang is mentioned I tremble like this.”

“….”

“You must be really scared. You’re still so nervous. Tsk tsk.”

Lee Wan-yong suddenly started comparing Lee Hang-gu and his dead firstborn.

“Since you were little you were very timid unlike your brother. My older sister pointed this out to me.”

This port was moved by this.

Now deceased.

It makes me angry to always be compared to my dead brother.

Suddenly sadness welled up in me.

“Just go away.”

“yes.”

This port was planning to report a warning to Yi Wan-yong at the last minute that he should be careful.

But I plan to put that aside for a moment.

Because resentment towards my father rose up inside me.

* * *

It’s been three weeks since Lee Hang-gu returned home.

In the meantime.

The King of Belgium who had been ill in the far West has passed away.

‘This is so ridiculous.’

A memorial service for Leopold II was also held in the Korean Empire.

As the King of Belgium was a Catholic his funeral was held in the cathedral.

It was held at this location out of respect for the deceased’s religion.

‘How many times do you have to stand up and sit down?’

The memorial mass held in the cathedral was truly an ordeal.

Sit down and stand up dozens of times.

This port itself is relatively young so it’s okay.

His father Lee Wan-yong and Song Byeong-jun who was the same age as Lee Wan-yong were constantly groaning and crying perhaps due to degenerative arthritis.

“Your Majesty this way.”

After the long and boring memorial mass.

Sone Tonggam and Yi Wan-yong.

Song Byeong-jun of Lee Hang-gu left Myeongdong Cathedral.

However it should be crowded with people as a huge crowd visits Myeongdong Cathedral.

The open space in front of the cathedral was relatively quiet as high-ranking cabinet officials had already left the building.

“Where is the car I’m going to take?”

“It’s down there. I can’t come up because of the snow…”

Myeongdong Cathedral is located on a hill so it is higher in elevation than other landforms.

That’s why when it snowed I couldn’t park my car right in front.

‘It’s completely false.’

Since Resident-General Sone and Prime Minister Yi Wan-yong attended the mass a large number of Japanese soldiers controlled the surrounding area for their safety.

That’s why the front yard of Myeongdong Cathedral which should be bustling with people was completely empty and the view was clear.

“Let’s go now.”

A snow-covered road.

Because it was a little slippery.

Sone Tonggam Lee Wan-yong Song Byeong-jun and Lee Hang-gu walked down the hill from Myeongdong Cathedral walking slowly and steadily.

I walked slowly towards the parked car.

Bang- bang- bang-

suddenly

Gunshots rang out from three rooms simultaneously.

“omg.”

Song Byeong-jun who was talking next to the port suddenly collapses.

At this Lee Hang-gu was startled and fell to the ground.

He instinctively covered his head with his hands and struggled to survive.

“You damn assassin! You skipped Aishatsu!”

The Sone Tonggam who had been doing the same thing looked around and shouted something loudly.

An interpreter translates words that do not necessarily need to be translated on the spot.

This port is.

He opened his eyes wide wondering what kind of crazy person that was and then quickly turned his gaze to where the groaning sound was coming from.

“Father! Father!”

“100 million….”

Unlike Song Byeong-jun who died instantly after being shot in the head Lee Wan-yong was still breathing.

But he was bleeding profusely because the bullet had passed through his body.

“Call the doctor doctor.”

Urgent treatment was needed.

Military police assistants guarding the perimeter together with Japanese military officers.

The port shouted at them.

But they shook their heads from side to side with an embarrassed expression.

“What? All the names went to Pyongyang?”

It is said that an organization called Shinminhoe held a medical presentation.

Because of that all the foreigners and famous people in Hanyang had moved to Pyongyang.

‘Is this incident something that the King of Ui planned?’

Shinminhoe is a representative organization sponsored by Uiwang.

It was a well-known fact to all the people of the Korean Empire that the Shinminhoe was run by the sponsorship of the Hapseong Association an association of Koreans living in the United States.

“father!”

“Bring me alive.”

Could it be because death is approaching?

Lee Wan-yong has never shown himself to be afraid of others.

Even though lightning struck from the clear sky he kept an indifferent expression.

Not as much as now.

“I want to live alone.”

“Father please be patient for a little longer.”

Lee Wan-yong shivered and looked extremely cold.

The Japanese soldiers guarding Myeongdong Cathedral were searching the building in all directions to find the assassin.

Because the gunshots were so quiet and could be heard from all directions it was difficult to identify the culprit.

“Oh port…..”

like that.

While failing to find the assassin.

Lee Wan-yong slowly died on the street.

Lee Hang-gu thought while looking at his father like that.

What choice should I make?

How should I live to live long?

He was troubled.

< Funeral (2) > End