The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 79



< Lighthouse (3) >

Many of the members of the New People’s Association were Christian students living in the northwestern region.

However the leaders were more diverse in their origins and social status than the rank-and-file members.

From the last successful candidate in the civil service examination who learned Confucianism as the highest virtue for generations.

A former Joseon artillery officer who became unemployed due to the Japanese military’s order to disband.

Even a newspaper editor who once believed in a folk religion but then gave up on that belief.

Religion Status Occupation Place of Origin Age.

They were all different.

“It’s been a while.”

“It’s been almost three days since I spoke with His Majesty the King.”

Even though they are from the same group their clothes and behavior are all different.

Really.

They seemed to have nothing in common except the belief that they would ‘enlighten the people.’

“Everyone’s complexion is not good.”

“Okay… Please speak.”

“Why have you been keeping your mouth shut like a mute since I last met His Majesty the King?”

I thought that when the New People’s Association’s code of conduct the Tongyong Charter was established that was the moment when there was the most discord.

An Chang-ho changed his mind.

Because the atmosphere now is much heavier than it was then.

‘If we’re not careful the Shinminhoe could be disbanded.’

The last conflict was barely resolved under his leadership alone.

There is yet another split over the final form the new government will take.

‘It was just a stopgap measure in the end.’

Whether it’s a democracy or a constitutional monarchy.

We just need to restore our sovereignty.

Why is everyone saying that the form of government is so important?

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An Chang-ho exchanged glances with Yang Gi-tak thinking to himself.

“Mr. Dosan (Ahn Chang-ho).”

“Yes go ahead.”

Yang Gi-tak swallowed hard as he looked at Ahn Chang-ho.

“Do you remember what Your Majesty said last time?”

“Are you referring to the famous saying that a country’s sovereignty lies in the hands of its people?”

“you’re right.”

The leaders of the Shinminhoe chewed over what Lee Kang had said.

This lecture’s logical answer.

And because of the overwhelming charisma my spine felt creepy for a moment.

They soon resumed talks to try to resolve the current conflict.

“Did Your Majesty say that if the Joseon people want democracy they will go to democracy and if they want a monarchy they will maintain the monarchy?”

“Yes that’s what you said.”

“Mr. Dosan. If the people want absolute monarchy can Your Majesty restore the absolute monarchy? If we interpret it differently.”

“…Did you hear that?”

“Yes that’s what I heard.”

“Me too.”

“me too.”

The pro-democracy forces took a moment to calm down and lowered their voices.

“Your Majesty is truly a fearsome man. Now that you have spoken to me you will know what I mean by such words.”

Their evaluations of Lee Kang were polar opposites.

Members who had originally supported democracy were afraid of Lee Kang.

This is because it seemed as if the Koreans in America had met a cult leader and were looking at Lee Kang-man and acting according to his orders.

“Professor Woo Kang. Aren’t you thinking too far ahead?”

“That’s right. In our last conversation His Majesty also told me not to misinterpret his claims.”

On the other hand people like Shin Chae-ho who supported Ahn Chang-ho’s proposal for a constitutional monarchy defended Lee Kang.

Because through this conversation I somehow felt attracted to him.

“How can you misinterpret it? Why can you say that?”

“Mr. Woo-gang please think over His Majesty the King’s words again. If you sit still and calmly recall them aren’t they all correct?”

“Do you think I don’t understand right now? Why can you say that Master Dosan?”

“I don’t know about you but I think it was the first time you and Mr. Woo Kang were meeting. And you declared that you would readily entrust us with a large sum of money a hundred thousand dollars even though you were meeting us for the first time in your life.”

“….”

“You were all there so you will remember. Didn’t you make a very generous promise even though you made a condition?”

“That’s right. If a country were to provide a hundred thousand dollars they would wonder where that large sum of money is being used. Isn’t an audit a condition that can be accepted?”

When Shin Chae-ho got involved the faction that supported democracy opened their eyes wide and leaned back slightly.

“Everyone is in trouble. Are you already feeling overwhelmed by the support money that Uiwang is offering?”

“What? Why do you think we are such petty people?”

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“You haven’t been hiding your true feelings until now have you?”

Those who supported democracy felt betrayed when they saw those who favored Lee Kang as their old comrades.

Those who supported the constitutional monarchy also felt similarly.

Both.

I believed that their minds would change through conversation with the King…

As both sides took slightly opposing actions their relationship began to gradually widen.

“Tsk tsk. You are all so naive. And then… what will happen if you put on a leash? Why do you say such things? Don’t forget how the emperor acted in the past.”

Here the emperor refers to Emperor Gojong.

The current emperor did not recognize Sunjong’s imperial authority because he thought he was a puppet in Japan’s plot.

This was a common opinion among both forces.

“Just thinking about the Emperor’s past history… I still tremble.”

“How many of our comrades died at his hands? We too spent days at the least and years at the most in the cold prison.”

Those who supported democracy listed Gojong’s past actions one by one.

“Even if the country falls the one who thinks only of his own authority is the emperor. Have you forgotten that time on the 40th anniversary of your accession to the throne?”

He was the one who held a ceremony to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his inauguration even when the fate of the Korean Empire was hanging in the balance.

All this while pouring an entire year’s budget of the Korean Empire into the event.

So even if they were not part of the reformist faction intellectuals who read at least a little bit were all disgusted with the royal family.

“Is that all? There are many more things…”

The emperor’s atrocities poured out from their mouths.

They are all equally evil deeds.

At this everyone shuddered.

“You must never forget this.”

“you’re right.”

It is all Gojong’s fault that they no longer trust the Joseon royal family.

Because he was really desperate to protect what little power he had.

“And the King is the Emperor’s son.”

Especially in modern times the concept of collective punishment still remains.

That is why it was thought that Gojong’s children would eventually become like him.

“I can assure you having served you for three years that Your Majesty is different.”

“I also do not trust King Ui but I trust Dosan so this time I will follow Your Majesty.”

“I am like that too.”

“Heh heh…..”

Shin Chae-ho asked with a sigh.

“If you are not going to follow His Majesty the King is there any other alternative? Even Lord Udang (Lee Hoe-young) whom we have tried to rely on is currently avoiding us.”

Rather than avoiding it exactly.

Now that Lee Kang has returned to San Francisco Lee Hoi-young and his brothers are preparing to meet him first.

“We need to get to know other Koreans. People who can help us.”

“That’s right. If that doesn’t work out we can return to Joseon and find another sponsor.”

Shin Chae-ho beat his chest and felt frustrated.

“Haha… There’s an easy way out so why don’t you go back this way?”

“That’s because I don’t think that path is the right path.”

“Then… even if we go back let’s go see this general meeting. Shouldn’t we hear what His Majesty has to say at the general meeting?”

Ahn Chang-ho proposed a mediation plan to see whether he would really yield the position of association president or if he was just pretending to do so.

As a result the leaders of the Shinminhoe who had been glaring at each other as if they were going to kill each other were united once again.

If we continued on like this we would have neither food nor shelter so we gave strength to Ahn Chang-ho’s compromise.

This was once again the moment when Ahn Chang-ho’s negotiating skills shone through.

* * *

The leaders of the New People’s Association including Yang Gi-tak entered the conference room to attend the Synthetic Association general meeting as observers.

“Uh… you guys.”

“Those people. Aren’t they the unscrupulous educators who came from the mainland before?”

“What do you mean you shameless educators?”

Until recently.

The Koreans who praised me as a teacher for doing educational work in Joseon…

Suddenly he starts swearing at them.

“That’s right… What are those bastards doing here?”

“What what?”

But the members of the New People’s Association were angry.

In response the Korean residents continued to point their fingers at the members of the Shinminhoe.

“You said that to us just now?”

“Then who else is there besides you?”

Then Ahn Chang-ho asked.

“Professor Haeryun. Why do you look down on us so negatively?”

“Oh Mr. Dosan. Mr. Dosan was here.”

“Mr. Dosan. Those guys over there are bad guys and they’ve spread all over San Francisco. You might get tainted so come here quickly.”

“A rumor?”

“I too have eyes and ears. I know what they demanded of you Your Majesty.”

The Koreans continued to curse the leaders of the Shinminhoe calling them ungrateful beasts.

The Korean residents who were not angry also glared at them silently.

As a result the leaders of the Shinminhoe felt threatened.

“Stop it. These guys came all the way here to fight against Japan.”

“Then why should we fight the Japanese instead of His Majesty the King?”

“That’s right. You’re saying what I want to say.”

If New York is Morgan’s fiefdom San Francisco is Lee Kang’s fiefdom.

The leaders of the Shinminhoe were keenly aware of this as they watched the changing reactions of the Korean community.

“If there is anyone here who has not received help from His Majesty the King let them come out.”

“That’s right. His Majesty the King fed us.”

Among the Koreans who attended the general assembly there was hardly anyone who did not receive help from Lee Kang.

“I came here two years ago and before that I worked hard for the white people growing sugar cane.”

“I came over with this guy too. When I think about it. Ugh…..”

Korean immigrants who first immigrated to Hawaii told their stories.

The reason they were able to come west was because Lee Kang had made it possible for them to work as tenant farmers in California under good conditions.

“If Your Majesty had not helped I would still be exploited on that farm even though my existing contract has expired.”

“That’s right. I guess that’s what happened to me too.”

“I also owe a debt to His Majesty the King. Didn’t His Majesty tell you to take out fire insurance or something before the great earthquake?”

“Yes. Thanks to your advice I took out insurance and was able to get the insurance money to build the new house I live in now.”

What about those who first settled in the West like Ahn Chang-ho and Park Yong-man?

Thanks to Lee Kang I learned about insurance I had never heard of before and was able to avoid losing my house.

“I too have been saved. I ignored Your Majesty’s advice and did not take out insurance but didn’t I also receive relief through the cooperative three years ago?”

“That’s right. I too almost died because of Your Majesty. It’s fortunate that I didn’t become a ghost of the desert.”

There are also Koreans in Mexico who were farming henequen while their flesh was peeled off.

New immigrants who had been oppressed as the families of independence fighters on the Korean Peninsula also all received help from Lee Kang.

Everyone shared their stories and informed the intellectuals of Shinminhoe about the good deeds Lee Kang had done so far.

“Do you understand now? Even though you may not know it to all of us here Your Majesty is our father and representative.”

“Do you know how the name Synthetic Association came about? His Majesty gave this organization its name with the intention that we would all succeed together. But you… Eight. You should not tell me what to do to beasts that do not know gratitude.”

The Korean residents shook their heads with resigned expressions and turned away from them.

At this the eyes of the Shinminhoe members began to shake greatly.

This isn’t it….

We are not ungrateful people….

He made a resentful expression saying that he did not oppose the constitutional monarchy in that sense.

That was when.

“Your Majesty the King is here.”

The protagonist who is the temporary association president appears.

Lee Kang entered the general meeting.

* * *

After entering the conference room I glanced at Ahn Chang-ho who was sitting with the members of the Shinminhoe.

‘You look troubled.’

You look sad.

oh my.

It’s the sorrow of the one who is trapped.

I turned my gaze again and exchanged glances with the Koreans attending the general assembly.

“Thank you all for coming here. I haven’t been paying much attention to the Korean community because I’ve been staying in the East for a while. I’m really happy that things are going well without me.”

I walked to the podium and exercised my right to speak as interim representative.

“I have called this general meeting because the time has come. When I established the association didn’t I declare that I would serve as its temporary president?”

When the word ‘temporary’ was emphasized the Korean residents started to stir.

I ignored the reactions of those Korean residents and continued talking.

“I said it once in Hawaii and many times here in San Francisco. I am not the owner of the Korean community. You sitting here are.”

I took a deep breath and declared to the people.

“It’s about time we elect a real representative not a temporary representative. That’s why I’m saying this….”

I turned my gaze to where the leaders of the Shinminhoe were and shouted at the Korean residents.

“The time for elections has come. Let’s elect the first representative of the Synthetic Association at the next general meeting.”

< Lighthouse (3) > End