Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 7 — Who Is My Father? (5)

The funny thing was, the second reason Hyang changed his plans was because of a physiological phenomenon.

“Shit! Crap!”

Hyang suddenly felt a need for a basic necessity before running into the room where the chamber pot was located.

He threw the disturbing hem of his red dopo back, then cursed in a low voice as he did his business in the chamber pot.

“Oh, shit! As bright as ever!”

Once Hyang reached the age where he didn’t need diapers anymore, the thing that bothered and annoyed him the most was relieving himself.

There were bathrooms in the palace, but they were few in number and far away.

Because of that, Hyang had to do most of his needs in the chamber pot, and every time he did that, he had to endure the discomfort. 

Hyang personally had a complaint about this, but relieving oneself was a problem that had to be solved.

‘This palace is full of shit’s smell and urine’s smell!’

In every secluded place in the palace where there were many trees, there were traces of shits and urine.

The most extreme case was the tree in the favorite place where court ladies do their business, dried up and its leaves turned yellow.

It was not just a matter of smell. There was also a hygiene problem. A problem where a slight loss of attention during relieving oneself could lead to stained clothes.

‘No, in the first place, the attire is the problem!’

Hyang remembered a memory from when he was younger.

It was a scene that happened back in the days when Grand Prince Choong-nyeong still lived in his private house. That day, Hyang’s mother changed her clothes because she was about to wash them.

‘How many fuck of layers is that?’

First, she wore dari-sokgot, sok-sokgot, sok-baji, and after that she wore dan-sokgot, then she wore neoreun-baji and daesyum-chima, on top of that, she wore mujigi-chima made with layers of fabric of different colors, and then a skirt with a gorgeous gold pattern.(1)

Hyang cried out inside as he blankly stared at such a scene.

‘What about those movies I’ve seen? Tell all those in charge of historical research to resign! Isn’t ass supposed to be after the outer skirt and the inner skirt? Even if it was an erotic story, it was still a movie! Isn’t this too much?’ 

Hyang went sideways. But the skirt itself, which was worn in layers, became the worst obstacle to women when they had to relieve themselves. 

Because it was such trouble to go to the bathroom due to the attire that was uncomfortable to wear or take off, it became a daily routine to use a chamber pot or go to a secluded place to relieve oneself.

There was another important hygiene issue that had arose from this attire and toilet issue.

“We greet His Highness the Prince.”

The court ladies passing by while carrying baskets of laundry saw Hyang and behaved respectfully.

“Yeah, you have worked hard.”

When they saw Hyang reply with a dignity that did not suit his age, the court ladies held back their smiles as they picked up their stuff and headed back on their way.

“Wait a minute, Court Lady.”

“Pardon?”

“Not you, but the third court lady from behind.”

“Is His Highness talking about me?”

The court lady who was getting pointed out came forward with a clueless face.

She had hoped for the thing called fortune(2))—even though there would be a problem because court ladies were king’s properties—because the prince’s age had passed Jihak(3)), but the prince in front of her eyes was only a 5 years old kid.

When the court lady that he had pointed came forward, Hyang simply said,

“You. There is something on your back.”

“Pardon?”

“There is something on the back of your skirt.”

“Pardon?”

“There is poop on the back of your skirt!”

The face of the clueless court lady who kept tilting her head reddened at Hyang’s words. Then she took a look at the back of her skirt.

“My God!”

“Go and change!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

As the reddened court lady sprinted out, Hyang glared at the remaining court ladies.

“What were you all doing?”

“Pardon?”

“There’s a problem with your colleague’s clothes, and you don’t even care about that?”

The court ladies bowed their heads to Hyang’s scolding. 

“Forgive us, Your Highness.”

“Make sure nothing like this happens again in the future.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Hyang sighed after giving a warning to the court ladies, then continued his walk.

In the afternoon study, Hyang told the official in charge of his study about the thing that happened during the day and asked a question.

“The proper way for humans is to excrete naturally. However, if the clothes they were wearing were bothering them from doing so, wouldn’t this be out of the proper way?”

The official in charge of the study let out an embarrassed expression as he gave an answer to Hyang’s question.

“However, the thing called clothes isn’t simply to block heat and cold but to conceal someone's disgrace. And from there, a person’s class is shown, so we must endure the discomfort.”

“Class…. Isn’t that also inappropriate to have one’s class determined by their clothes? There’s a saying, ‘even if a virtuous man wears a rag, the scent of his virtue spreads through the sky,’ right?”

“Well, that’s true….”

“Don’t you think it needs to be changed?”

“Ha, haha….”

Hyang’s question made the official sweating bullets.

That night, Hyang made a resolution as he lied up in his bed.

“I will definitely make a flush toilet and reform the attire!”

* * *

These two reasons became the biggest reason for Hyang to change his plan. Hyang always let out profanities whenever he got involved with the natural environment.

“I can’t live because this is stuffy and dirty!”

The word ‘dirty’ here was because the situation was really dirty that it was unbearable for him. Even in the house where King Sejong had lived in when he was still Grand Prince Choong-nyeong, the bedbugs, ticks, and fleas were common to find. On top of that, because of the circumstance where they didn’t bathe very often, and their scent was mixed with the perfume pouch(4)in their waist, it became a very dirty situation to express.

The problem above, coupled with the bathroom and attire problem made Hyang determined to change his plan.

“Even in the military of the 21st century Republic of Korea, except for a few places, traditional toilets have disappeared….”

While thinking of the bathroom problem that he couldn’t get used to, Hyang modified his plan.

“So, is this ver.1.5?”

As he calculated the number of revisions, Hyang revised the items in the plan he had in mind.

• Bring forward the start of external activities at 9 years old. At the latest, when I reach nine I should be installed as the crown prince, not prince anymore. When I become the crown prince, I will hold power to some extent. 
• When I get installed as the crown prince, I will go outside the palace. Find out about the life outside the palace, the life of the commoners in the capital city, and empower the reformation policy pursued by King Sejong.
• In addition to the above, take a role in accelerating the creation of Hunminjeongeum.

“This is enough.” 

Hyang rose up from his seat after reflecting on the revised plan. He opened the window, looking outside as he mumbled.

“Is that kid doing well?” 

‘That kid’ that Hyang talked about was Grand Prince Suyang.

When King Sejong was installed as the crown prince, a shift also happened to his family. 

Since Hyang was the oldest child, he came along to the palace; and the third son—Anpyeong, was born in the palace. However, Suyang—who was stuck in the middle—was living in his private home.

It was a situation where he should enter the palace, but because of various events such as the coronation of King Sejong, the Invasion of Daemado Island, and the birth of Anpyeong were overlapping, the time for Suyang to enter the palace had yet to be decided.

In history, the time Suyang entered the palace was when Hyang was 8 years old and Suyang was 5 years old.

“Looks like this one will flow just like the actual history….”

Hyang recollected the memories from his past life. According to the memories from his past life, it was a rule for grand princes or princes, and princesses to leave the palace when they became adults at 15 years old. However, in reality, it was usual to make them be independent when they reached 8.

“But, now are the early days of Joseon….”

Hyang lightly counted with his fingers. 

“Is 3 years the earliest and 10 years the longest,… what should I do with that kid during that time?”

Hyang racked his brain on how he should take care of this little brother of his; since he knew that his little brother, who was currently living outside the palace, would seize the throne in later days.

“I just let him be because I had no time until I entered the palace. But now, I should do something when he enters the palace. Should I randomly pick on him? Or should I gently treat him as a kind older brother?”

Hyang was deep in thought about whether to treat his brother with ‘stick or carrot’ then he giggled and couldn’t stop his sudden burst of laughter.

“Cut it out…. I just reached 5 years old, and when that time comes I would be around 8. If a kid picks on a kid, I will get cursed….”

 * * *

While Hyang was racking his brain about what to do with his brother, who will be the one to seize the throne in later days, Hyang’s mother—Queen Soheon—was also deep in thought.

“Yoo also has to enter the palace, but… huff~.”

While sighing, Queen Soheon directed her eyes to the direction where Hyang’s room was located.

The first time Hyang saw Yoo, who was just born and was dressed in swaddling clothes, Queen Soheon detected Hyang’s odd reaction.

‘Hostility? Why?’

Queen Soheon was concerned about Hyang, who was showing enmity toward his newborn little brother, and she asked the nanny with worry.

“It looks like the eldest hates the second. What should I do about this?”

The nanny answered Queen Soheon’s question with a smile.

“It is natural, Milady.”

“Natural?”

“When they have a little sibling, it is natural for the child who was born first to not like it. This is about the affection that was previously only given to them turning to the little one. This thing will soon get fixed when the older sibling grows a bit more and becomes educated.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes, it is.”

Despite the nanny’s answer, Queen Soheon couldn’t ease her worry and ordered the nanny.

“I need you to take care of Hyang.”

“Understood, Milady.”

After that, as if the nanny’s efforts paid off, there was no hostility shown from Hyang to his little brother. However, Queen Soheon’s worry couldn’t fade easily. The hostility from Hyang had disappeared, but indifference, and then excessive standards, took on its place.

“Hyang, what are you doing?”

A few days after Yoo’s first birthday party, Queen Soheon found Hyang who was looking for a book in the Grand Prince Choong-nyeong’s study. Hyang quickly fixed his posture and politely answered Queen Soheon’s question.

“Mother, I am looking for a few miscellaneous books to cool my head and a book that is suitable for Yoo to learn later.”

“Hyang, Yoo just passed his first year. Isn’t it too fast to look for a book for him to learn?”

“I learned that it is best to prepare in advance.”

“That is not wrong, but….”

Queen Soheon’s words were fading because Hyang’s words were not wrong, and she asked another question.

“So, what do you think is good?”

“I think Tong-Gam-Jeol-Yo is good. His first year has passed, and when he passes his second year, I think it’s good for him to start.”

Hyang’s answer made cold sweat flow on Queen Soheon’s face.

“Isn’t that too fast?”

“Is that fast?”

Queen Soheon nodded at Hyang’s question.

“That is fast. Hyang, you started to learn earlier because you are a brilliant child, but the others didn’t start that early.”

Hyang showed his dissatisfaction at Queen Soheon’s explanation. 

“All the subjects of Joseon know about Father’s outstanding talent. The children of such a person are absolutely not allowed to be mediocre.”

“Huff~.”

Queen Soheon only let out a long sigh after Hyang’s resolute answer.

* * *

“Huff~.”

Queen Soheon once again let out a long sigh as she remembered about the past event.

“I thought giving birth to a brilliant child is fortune….”

Having a child that was not only brilliant but excessively brilliant was frustrating.

Compared to the first child, the second and third were brilliant, but they were a bit lacking. It was like the brightness of the moon that couldn’t even be compared to the sun.

The problem was Hyang set his little siblings’ standards to be the same as him. No, the problem was not only Hyang. From the moment the princes started their education, it was certain that the retainers adjusted their standard of judgments to Hyang.

“Huff~.”

With a sigh, the sleepless night of Queen Soheon continued.

T/N:

(1) Check this link if you want to know more.↻

(2) Fortune: Love. Court Lady wasn’t allowed to marry, and they were the King’s properties. If the King or prince took a liking on them, that is a fortune for them. It was possible for princes to take the court lady as lover or concubine, but they had to get the King's permission.↻

(3) Jihak: Back in Joseon days, it was the age when someone is said to reach maturity, which was 15. But someone was also said to pass Jihak when they properly could understand the meaning of learning. My guess for the minimum is Great Learning of Four Books.↻

(4) Perfume pouch: A traditional handmade personal adornment with a pleasing fragrance. Seems like if the scent from the pouch mixed with someone who has not taken a bath for days will bring bad news.↻