The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 78



< Lighthouse (2) >

When you become a celebrity your life becomes easier without you even knowing it.

But where there is light there is also a shadow.

As you rise through the ranks as a politician you naturally face some uncomfortable situations.

One of them is that you have to be very mindful of your supporters’ opinions.

‘Oh my it’s a goal…’

About 30000 Korean residents and 50000 new immigrants.

And even tourists who are visiting the United States for a short time.

I was still debating which of these I should meet first.

‘This needs to be handled carefully.’

Because the Korean community is watching with wide eyes to see what choice I will make.

If you meet someone without thinking strange words can spread even without your intention.

If an ordinary person saw this they would click their tongue and say that they were worried about everything.

Because people in politics and business who have a lot of money and power surprisingly have a bad habit of giving too much meaning to trivial things.

That’s why in order to minimize these misunderstandings I started writing down a list of people I would meet.

– Former Gando Administrator Lee Beom-yoon

– Members of the New People’s Association

– The wealthy Koreans who immigrated to America.

– Religious leaders within the Korean community

(Korean Church Korean Cathedral Korean Cheondoist Temple officials)

– Personnel related to the establishment of Hanmi University (tentative name)

– People involved in the establishment of military schools and private military companies (PMCs) in Mexico

– Professors from Germany

– Presidents of automobile companies such as Ford and GM

– Diesel and Haber joined from Germany.

– Orville Wright of Light & Lee

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– 1st 2nd and 3rd (planned) Synthetic Association scholarship students.

– Korean Valley official.

– Milling & Distribution Workers in California…

When I write them all down there’s a lot.

Even after cutting off all the branches that were losing weight it’s still like this.

‘We have to filter it out again here.’

I looked at the lists and divided them into 1st/2nd/3rd priority.

The more urgent and important the task the higher the priority.

※ 1st place

– Former Gando Administrator Lee Beom-yoon

– Members of the New People’s Association

– The wealthy Koreans who immigrated to America.

After wrapping my head around it for half a day I was able to narrow it down to three top choices.

The question that remains is which of these should we deal with first.

‘Personally I would like to meet the rich people from the Korean Empire…’

If you meet Shin Min-hoe or Lee Beom-yoon.

I’m going to say something obvious.

Would you mind petitioning me to help fund your activities?

On the other hand when I meet the symbols my money will not go out for now.

Rather the story will progress in a way that helps ease my suffering by supporting Korean residents in America.

So as a second-generation Korean-American and lobbyist Park Byung-jun I was personally most drawn to the last one.

‘But I am Lee Kang. I am no longer Park Byeong-jun.’

Lee Kang is a prince of Joseon.

So we should have been more interested in our country’s independence than in money.

This was like my fate that would never change until I died.

‘How did you get it? You must never lose the trust of the Korean people.’

If that happens I’ll be throwing away one of my strongest cards.

You shouldn’t make such amateurish mistakes.

I looked back and forth between the remaining two items marking an X where I had written down the symbols.

‘Now there are only two left. Who should I choose?’

It was not an easy problem to choose.

You may wonder if this is something to worry about but this choice was like a preliminary battle to determine the course of the Synthetic Association I belong to.

‘Armed anti-Japanese struggle and diplomatic route.’

Meeting Lee Beom-yoon first would mean giving strength to the armed struggle.

Meeting with the Shinminhoe would mean that they would foster self-reliance within Joseon and focus on diplomatic activities in the Anglo-American world.

‘I don’t want to throw either of them away.’

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If you think about it there’s no reason to necessarily choose one of the two right?

I thought about it for a while and then came up with an idea.

“Woo-sa (Kim Kyu-sik’s nickname).”

“Yes brother. Did you call?”

“Please invite everyone on this list to our house.”

Kim Kyu-sik squinted his eyes as he looked at the names of the guests on the list.

“Are you talking about all seven of the people listed here?”

“okay.”

Kim Kyu-sik tried to say something but then closed his mouth.

It must be because he read my thoughts by looking at my expression.

* * *

“Your Majesty the King. How have you been?”

A man of fairly slender build bowed his head to me and introduced himself.

“My name is Lee Beom-yoon the Gando administrator.”

“Ahem…..”

Dosan Ahn Chang-ho coughed in vain.

To introduce me to the group standing next to him.

An Chang-ho told me the names of the members of the Shinminhoe one by one starting with the man sitting on his right.

“Your Majesty. This man’s name is Shin Chae-ho.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“It seems like it’s been half a year since I came to America and am meeting Your Majesty the King. Please greet me first.”

I greeted each and every one of them.

Some people bowed deeply in the Korean style while others shook hands in the Western style.

“Yes. What have you to tell me that made you cross this vast Pacific Ocean?”

“majesty.”

“Tell me.”

It is important to speak first.

While Lee Beom-yoon was hesitating the members of Shinminhoe began to bring up the topic first.

“First of all I would like to express my gratitude to Your Majesty.”

“Thank you?”

“Yes. Didn’t His Majesty give a golden bon to the newly established Shinminhoe?”

“Ah that. It’s not much but I don’t need to be thankful. How can I a member of the royal family ignore the fact that you guys are building a school for the people of Joseon?”

The members of the New People’s Association looked dumbfounded.

Some people are surprised by the words ‘That’s not that much.’

There were also some people who were moved by the idea that ‘the royal family should naturally step up to build a school.’

“So… are you saying that you can provide additional support for activity expenses?”

Shin Chae-ho who had come to his senses asked me as a representative.

I nodded and took a positive attitude.

“That’s right. I plan to invest generously in education projects. Why? Are we short on funds?”

“No. There is still a lot of money left over from the last time Your Majesty gave us. However… if we think about the future the more we can spend on activities the better. There is still a severe shortage of educational institutions in Joseon.”

I exchanged glances with people other than Shin Chae-ho and asked.

“If it was urgent why don’t you contact the Synthetic Association? Don’t just wait here until I get there.”

Yang Gi-tak nodded with his eyes wide open.

“As Your Majesty said we also asked the Synthetic Association for support of our activity expenses. However the association refused saying that they could not provide such a large amount of support without Your Majesty’s permission.”

ah….

I guess so.

Because more than 90% of the total donations are my money.

It’s a structure that doesn’t allow you to spend a lot of money without my permission.

So Lee Beom-yoon also couldn’t return to the Maritime Province and stayed here.

“I did ask for support from the Koreans who had settled in America separately but they all showed reluctance saying that they were helping their country through the Synthetic Association. That’s why I waited for Your Majesty.”

Before leaving to be exact the donation system was unified at the ceremony where scholarships were awarded to the first class of Synthetic Association scholarship students.

This was to maximize my influence and to prevent the money of overseas Koreans from leaking out to bad places.

‘Those who settled first are all receiving my help. They follow my words without fail.’

Of course my influence over new immigrants is still limited.

However I could not carelessly disobey my instructions to centralize and consolidate the donations.

Because in order to survive in America you have to watch out for me.

At least in the early stages of settlement they had to show that they were cooperating with me.

“Okay I understand. I will hold a general meeting of the Synthetic Association as soon as possible to discuss the matter.”

I turned my head and looked at Lee Beom-yoon.

Unlike others he kept his back straight.

At first glance it looked extremely uncomfortable.

‘It’s like seeing my very picky uncle.’

I don’t know if it’s because he’s a soldier or because he’s an orthodox Confucian believer but he seems very inflexible.

He seems like the type of person who would really follow what his superior says.

“You are here for similar reasons aren’t you?”

“yes?”

Lee Beom-yoon was taken aback by the sudden question but soon nodded.

“Yes that’s right. I also came here to receive support for the activities of the Korean volunteer army in the Primorsky Krai.”

“Okay okay. Okay. I’ll see how much I can spend.”

“thank you.”

The atmosphere became quite cheerful.

Because their goal was half achieved.

“but….”

I changed my expression and added a condition.

“There’s one thing I want to tell you first. If you receive support exceeding a certain amount there will be additional conditions attached.”

“If it’s a condition…..”

“What conditions are you talking about?”

The expressions of Lee Beom-yoon and all the members of Shin Min-hoe became serious.

I guess you thought I was just giving away a bunch of activity funds without thinking.

“A letter of appreciation will be sent from the Synthetic Association so that we can see how the funds are being used.”

“yes?”

“You also have to report every quarter where your activity funds were spent.”

“….”

“….”

The atmosphere becomes solemn.

Then Lee Dong-hwi one of the members of Shinminhoe asked me.

“Does that mean we have to become a subsidiary of the Synthetic Association?”

I shook my head.

“Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions. I’m just curious to see if my and the Synthetic Association’s grants are being used properly.”

“Isn’t that what you’re saying?”

“That’s right. If that happens our Shinminhoe could easily become a puppet organization carrying out His Majesty the King’s orders.”

“No it’s different.”

I cut him off firmly.

“Professor Yoon Kang. You have to distinguish between public and private affairs. I don’t know about the expenses for the volunteer army activities but the Shinminhoe support funds will be distributed through the Hapseong Association. So how can you distort my intentions by saying that you have to follow my words regarding the Hapseong Association audit?”

“Isn’t Your Majesty the Chairman of the Synthetic Association?”

I nodded and agreed with that point.

“Yes. He is currently the president. However the position of president may change soon. He was the temporary president until now and the election will ask for his reappointment.”

“Did you say it was an election?”

“Yeah. Election….”

These days the democratic ‘election’ that the enlightenment intellectuals of the Korean Empire are so fond of is being called.

“Once the president of the association is elected he or she will manage the association. I may be reappointed or someone else may take that position.”

You didn’t really come here just to receive support for activity expenses did you?

Without any checks and balances?

‘It’s okay for small amounts but it’s different when the amount gets bigger.’

If you want to work with real autonomy you can either forge your own path.

Or make accounting transparent.

‘Did I think of myself as too much of a modern Park Byeong-jun?’

I hesitated for a moment but I am the type of person who pushes ahead with what I think is right so I stuck to my guns.

“What do you think?”

I looked at Lee Beom-yoon and asked.

“I have already made up my mind since I refused to be summoned by the Hanyang government. I will do anything for the liberation of the Korean Empire.”

He also told me about the difficult lives of the volunteers in the Primorsky Krai.

I don’t know if it’s to gain sympathy or to convey things as they are.

What is certain is that Lee Ja-eun seems to be a commander who takes care of his subordinates rather than his own pride.

“Your Majesty it seems that you share my thoughts so I will fight against the Japanese army under your Majesty’s guidance and alongside you.”

I looked at Lee Beom-yoon and continued to ask.

“Do you have any other questions?”

“Not at the moment but I would like to have a conversation with the members of the Synthetic Association soon.”

“talk?”

“Yes. I want to know how to fight Japan. I have my own strategy but I would also like to hear the opinions of the Synthetic Association which provides support for our activities.”

That’s a good attitude.

I looked at the members of the New People’s Association and asked.

“You?”

Lee Dong-hwi and Yang Gi-tak are slightly wary of me.

Shin Chae-ho and Ahn Chang-ho were looking at the two with worried eyes.

Even within the group there seem to be different routes.

To be exact the difference is in how you look at me.

“I wonder what your Majesty is dreaming about.”

“Is this a dream?”

I paused for a moment when I asked Yang Gi-tak a question.

“Ask specifically.”

“Your Majesty do you think this country should become a democracy or should it remain a monarchy?”

I looked at the members of the Shinminhoe with the corners of my lips slightly raised.

“Do you really want to know what I think?”

“Yes that is correct.”

It looks like they’re trying to decide whether or not they can work together.

I took a moment to clear my head and then I found the answer.

“What a stupid question you ask.”

“yes?”

“I have always thought that the sovereignty of a country lies in the hands of its people.”

“That means….”

Surely you are not asking whether the word behind it is ‘democracy’?

I quickly cut off Yang Gi-tak’s words.

“If the people of that country want democracy then they should go for democracy. If the people of that country want a monarchy then they should maintain the monarchy. How can a small number of powerful people collude in secret and decide this before the people’s decision?”

“that….”

I shook my head and looked very disappointed.

“I thought you were enlightened intellectuals. You’re still stuck in the old ways. You haven’t made any progress since the Gapsin Coup d’état 20 years ago.”

“Your Majesty! What did you just say?”

“Lower your voice Mr. Yoon Kang.”

“….”

An Chang-ho fidgeted and tried to dissuade Yang Gi-tak.

Yang Gi-tak kept his mouth shut at this.

It seems like he is more aware of Ahn Chang-ho’s feelings than I am.

Looking at Yang Gi-tak like that I threw a wedge.

“Whether I’m awake or asleep I only think about one thing. The Koreans here and the Koreans living in Joseon. I always worry about how we can all live happily.”

I jumped up from my seat.

Now is the time to wake up.

“If you are like me and I am misunderstanding you now… I hope we can have a more constructive conversation next time.”

< Lighthouse (2) > End