The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 7



< Dump >

When Lee Geun-sang revealed his identity behind the door I froze for a moment.

‘Why the concubine?’

Did you send someone all the way to Tokyo?

I took a half step back without realizing it.

After that I bit my lower lip and quickly rolled my head.

‘Did something go wrong?’

Gwi-bi was a woman who survived even under Queen Min who was blinded by speculation.

Her political talent was so outstanding that she was able to grab the list of names that had lost their owner after Queen Min’s death.

‘No matter how perfect it is a very small mistake can cause the tower you worked so hard to build to collapse.’

Variables always exist.

What if Hulbert had acted awkwardly in front of King Gojong and his concubine?

So what if she captured that fleeting moment?

What if I later question Hulbert and find out that he had revealed my plan to the world?

after-

It’s dizzying just to imagine.

My heart started pounding like crazy because it was such a possible imagination.

‘Let’s calm down.’

I haven’t even talked to the person outside the door yet.

A situation where I don’t even know why he came to Tokyo.

There was no need to let my imagination run wild and feel anxious all by myself.

‘You could think of it in a positive way.’

I have continued to pressure the Hanyang government over and over again.

If we keep pushing them.

It’s not a fully made delicious rice cake but I expected that some of the delicious red bean paste would fall off.

‘Lee Kang’s memories prove this.’

Get notified for updates: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

For the past six years.

Every time Yi Kang requested to return to his country Gojong and his officials placed tuition money in Yi Kang’s hands and sent him back to the United States.

The amount can range from as little as $10000 to as much as $50000.

You might say “Who would take that little money and put it in someone’s pocket?” But $50000 in the 1900s was a lot of money.

Converted to 2000s prices it would be worth roughly $1 million.

Don’t we use the word “millionaire” to refer to a rich person with a lot of money?

Because the word millionaire is derived from the word million dollars.

In a world where every penny counts $50000 was a lifesaver to me.

That’s why I recently bought a ticket to Jeju Island.

I’ve already packed my bags.

Ready to fly to Tokyo whenever I command.

‘If things had gone according to plan I thought Emperor Gojong or Hanyang officials would have come.’

I knew the concubine’s person would come.

‘Which one is correct?’

Did the plan go awry?

Or maybe the dump operation worked?

I keep imagining two conflicting assumptions in my head.

Squeak-

I opened the guest room door.

“Come in.”

“thank you.”

Because of the rain that fell last night Lee Geun-sang’s entire body was completely soaked.

“You’ve had a hard time.”

First I handed over a towel.

And then I secretly watched what action he would take next.

“Oh my… I had a hard time catching the carriage at the dock.”

Lee Geun-sang started drying his head with the towel I handed him acting coy.

I approached him to observe his expression more closely and suddenly a foul odor rose up.

‘It smells like water.’

I wanted to quickly cover my nose with my hand.

But I endured it.

If I had acted like that for no reason it would have only heightened Lee Geun-sang’s vigilance.

I smiled brightly and handed him the clothes I no longer wear to achieve my goal.

Then he pointed to the next room.

“You might catch a cold so change into these clothes in that room over there.”

“Yes Your Majesty.”

Even while walking to the guest room Lee Geun-sang’s eyes continued to sparkle.

Join our discord and ping me to update more chapters. Discord: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

I was watching it pretending not to know.

‘This is so delicious.’

He came out wearing the new clothes I gave him but there was still a bad smell around him.

“Would you like a drink too?”

I asked taking out a bottle of alcohol from the display case.

To cover up the stench with the smell of alcohol.

Also Lee Geun-sang’s mind was a bit clouded.

“If you give it to me I will eat it gratefully.”

Lee Geun-sang’s nose was quite red.

If you didn’t drink on the way here it means you enjoy it normally.

“Okay take it.”

He offered me a drink naturally.

I sipped my glass and watched how he reacted to the alcohol.

“Wow… This drink is amazing. Your Majesty. Would you like another drink?”

The guy who came to see me…

“nice….”

Drink alcohol one after another.

I didn’t even recommend it.

“Please give me another drink. It’s been a while… I feel so good after drinking.”

“Drink slowly. You’ll get sick.”

While I’m having one drink Iza drinks five.

Lee Geun-sang emptying his glass again and again.

Looking at that Lee Geun-sang I became lost in thought.

‘No matter how I look at it it’s not like it’s been a while. Tsk tsk… It’s not like you’re enjoying alcohol it’s that you’re being controlled by it.’

Drink alcohol like water.

At that level it’s not just that he likes alcohol; it’s that he’s an alcoholic.

Due to the nature of my job as a lobbyist I had many opportunities to have drinks.

Since I’ve seen quite a few people like that around me I can tell at a glance whether they’re alcoholics or not.

‘How pathetic.’

Both the author and the person who hired the author.

‘He is seriously lacking in the ability to be entrusted with such an important task.’

But why did the author come?

Have you been fine normally?

Or is the author the only one that the concubine believes in?

At that moment a memory that Lee Kang must have experienced flashed through his mind.

Not only the concubine but also Emperor Gojong and the Hanyang government.

It came to mind in Lee Kang’s memory how they handled things.

‘This is the worst.’

Especially in the field of diplomacy you have to pay attention to even the smallest details.

He gave official positions to officials he was close to.

There were many cases where important tasks were entrusted to people without expertise.

‘And selling official positions.’

What was the royal family’s main source of income?

It’s the magic of selling.

‘You rated it too highly.’

I reanalyzed the two people in front of me and the concubine and lowered my evaluation of them by one level.

Lee Geun-sang emptied his glass diligently pretending not to know my feelings.

Then after drinking about six glasses he realized why he had come to Tokyo and began to tell the story of the concubine.

“Your Majesty the Concubine is concerned about Your Majesty’s safety.”

“Your Majesty?”

“Yes. Three months ago Your Majesty heard the news that Your Majesty was ill. I remember how heartbroken you were at that time and tears well up in my eyes whenever I recall that memory.”

If other people were listening to this conversation they would misunderstand.

The relationship between Gwi-bi and Lee Kang is not very good.

‘Well things were good between the two of them at first.’

The relationship between the two rapidly grew distant after Queen Gwi gave birth to King Yeong Lee Eun Lee Kang’s half-brother.

I could vaguely understand it through Lee Kang’s memories.

‘Whether in the West or the East… the relationship between a stepmother and her grown child is difficult. Because stepmothers instinctively take care of their own children first.’

In terms of the order of succession King Uiwang Lee Kang was second in line to the throne after Crown Prince Lee Cheok.

His personality is not particularly twisted and he is not bad-headed either.

Therefore if time continued to pass like this it was obvious that Lee Kang who was not even ten years old yet would succeed Crown Prince Lee Cheok.

The queen wanted to overturn this succession structure.

Because of that the concubine was still busy plotting a scheme while lying on her pillow.

He was not picky about the means and methods to make his son the next successor.

‘That concubine was worried about me? She must have been sad that I didn’t die.’

The Korean Empire attaches great importance to the idea of ​​’filial piety’.

Since Gwi-bi could also be said to be Lee Kang’s mother Lee Geun-sang seemed to be trying to stimulate Lee Kang’s filial piety by mentioning this.

However since I wasn’t Lee Kang Lee Geun-sang’s haste didn’t have much effect.

“Yeah. What’s going on at this hour?”

“I see you were packing your bags.”

Instead of answering my question he asks me what I’m curious about.

I wanted to point this out but first I decided to answer Lee Geun-sang’s question.

“Yeah. I’m packing.”

Hulbert will soon arrive in Shanghai.

Then I had to leave for America.

‘If Hulbert hadn’t been caught…’

Lee Geun-sang will expect me to go to the Korean Empire.

If it were the opposite I would assume he would leave for America.

“Are you really planning to return to your home country without His Majesty’s permission?”

The answer is out.

Gwi-bi and Lee Geun-sang were mistaken now.

The clenched fist releases.

I relaxed slightly and asked Lee Geun-sang back.

“Why should I tell you where I’m going next? Are you my superior or something?”

Lee Geun-sang took another sip of his drink and replied to my blunt answer.

“Your Majesty is worried.”

“what?”

“I am worried that Your Majesty may do something reckless and permanently damage your relationship with His Majesty.”

It’s all the concubine’s fault that things have turned out this way between the two rich men.

She’s a funny woman.

When I didn’t move an inch Lee Geun-sang brought up the next story.

“Japan is spreading its wings. It is plotting behind the scenes with the Korean Peninsula as its target.”

When I remained silent Lee Geun-sang began to speak passionately even spitting saliva.

“In the last Battle of Tsushima they defeated the Russian fleet. That great Russia. Since then they have been interfering in our internal affairs very openly.”

“so?”

“Your Majesty I believe there is now only one way out.”

Lee Geun-sang took something out of his bosom.

It was slightly damp from the rain but I could tell at a glance what it was.

“The only force that can stop Japan is the United States. Do you agree with this opinion?”

A ticket to America.

I waved a piece of paper and asked Lee Geun-sang.

“Yes. We haven’t discussed it but both the believers and His Majesty agree.”

“So you want me to go back to America? To save this country that’s like a beacon of light in the wind?”

“Yes Your Majesty.”

I snorted.

After that he made a dumbfounded expression.

“What power does a mere prince have?”

“Only Your Majesty. Only Your Majesty can go to America and convince them.”

In modern times I am a second-generation Korean-American born and raised in the United States.

Because of that I don’t know much about Korean history but I know American history very well.

‘America is not the good guys you think it is.’

The United States and Japan secretly made a pact.

Through the Katsura-Taft Agreement the United States would colonize the Philippines and Japan would colonize Korea.

We are joining hands to help each other.

The sound of it is truly amazing.

‘If he’s just saying whatever he wants to send me to America that’s fine… but if he really believes that then I can’t help but think of him as an idiot who doesn’t know anything about international affairs.’

‘I will not return to the Korean Empire’ was something I had already decided.

Thinking back I think that decision was the right one.

How can there be hope when these idiots are in control of the government?

“hmm….”

I will end my evaluation of the concubine and Emperor Gojong here.

I just folded my arms and looked at Lee Geun-sang.

I can roughly picture in my head why the interest came here.

‘I don’t think you came here to give a lecture on international affairs.’

What’s important comes next.

So what kind of bundle did you bring?

I started talking about money subtly to achieve the goal I had set for myself.

“I am a penniless wretch. I am coming to America alone to talk to the high-ranking officials in Washington. If I were you would they listen to me? First of all they would doubt whether I am a real prince.”

I was scared to finish saying this.

Lee Geun-sang responded.

“Your Majesty the Concubine also expected that Your Majesty would say such a thing. That is why she told me to convey this to Your Majesty.”

I opened the box of documents I was given.

It was full of checks and bonds.

‘I was hoping to get some extra money along with the slush fund… but I ended up hitting the jackpot instead.’

I saved it up carefully.

It looked like it was worth about five hundred thousand dollars.

‘Does this mean I shouldn’t eat this and come back from the US?’

Looking at the way things are going the next successor will likely be decided in the near future.

If I could just travel abroad for about two years my concubine would be able to achieve her lifelong wish.

‘Five hundred thousand dollars… That’s the value of a successor.’

As a concubine you would probably want to block my entry by any means necessary.

Because the high ground is right in front of you you want to prevent other variables from arising.

‘Have they ever offered money like this in history?’

Given Uiwang’s personality it would have only had the opposite effect.

But I wasn’t Lee Kang.

I was thinking of going back to America.

If you give me this much money to use as initial settlement funds I would really appreciate it.

‘but….’

I had to hide my feelings.

Because negotiation is essentially a push and pull to get the value you deserve.

“To think that you can operate in the United States with just this… You’ve been in the palace for so long that your sense of reality has become dull.”

You might end up making the other person very angry but now is the time to be strong.

Since my secret plan with Hulbert hasn’t been exposed I’m in the lead now.

That’s super awesome too.

“Go back and tell them. This isn’t enough.”

“Your Majesty. Why did you say such a thing? At this rate….”

I know I know.

Isn’t that about the same amount as the Imperial Household Agency’s annual budget?

But when you make your first offer you don’t reveal all your power.

The same would apply to the concubine.

You must have a back pocket full of things to use domestically.

“I’ve been living in the United States for the past six years and what’s the result? Isn’t this what I’ve ended up with? I don’t want to be frustrated anymore. So I’m going back now.”

How much does the concubine love my son?

Moreover how much value will the next successor to the Korean Empire have?

I was thinking of watching.

How great and shining her maternal love will be.

< Dump > End