Ch.319Reincarnation (6)
by fnovelpia
Outside to the right of the imperial palace.
There stood a mansion with a spacious courtyard.
Only the emperor and crown prince were permitted to live within the imperial grounds.
As a result, even Prince Anchang had to live here and commute to the palace.
That’s why I crossed Cheonggyecheon to meet Prince Anchang.
“I had no idea that since the 16th century, the capital was Hanyang rather than Kaesong.”
Since I had awakened inside the palace, I had no knowledge of what lay beyond its walls.
So I had naturally assumed this place was Kaesong.
Contrary to my expectations, the capital of the 16th century Goryeo-Liaodong Federation was none other than Hanyang.
As I’ve mentioned before about the original history, Goryeo had actually made Hanyang its capital before.
And not just once, but twice.
Anyway, perhaps that’s why in this changed world, it had become the central capital of the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation.
So while this wasn’t exactly Gyeongbokgung Palace, a similar imperial palace had been built here, with members of the imperial household living in the surrounding area.
“We should arrive soon, Your Highness.”
“Good.”
I held the horse’s reins and surveyed my surroundings.
Though I’d never seen 16th century Hanyang before, I had often read about it in history books from the original world, so the current scene felt quite unfamiliar.
What made it particularly strange was the abundance of meat vendors on the streets.
During the Joseon era, there had been a strict social hierarchy of scholar-farmer-artisan-merchant.
Because of this hierarchy, butchers were always among the most despised professions.
I had heard that butchers who openly sold meat on the streets sometimes suffered the pain of being stoned by people.
Of course, this didn’t mean that all butchers, as social outcasts, were virtuous.
I had heard that most of them failed to assimilate into Joseon society, frequently engaged in illegal activities, and didn’t hesitate to steal when things went wrong.
Anyway, unlike the original history, Mongolian culture, which was inseparable from meat-eating, had been introduced here.
Perhaps that’s why, unlike the original history, butchers were living as ordinary citizens.
“We have arrived at Prince Anchang’s residence.”
“Thank you.”
At Eunuch Jang’s words, I dismounted from my horse.
Being short made getting on and off horses quite difficult.
After dismounting, I saw a neat-looking main gate.
Mongolia didn’t have such gates, but perhaps due to the mixture of Goryeo and Song Dynasty cultures, every house here had one.
“Welcome. You must be tired from your long journey.”
Prince Anchang appeared, wearing a bright blue robe.
As we were of the same rank, he greeted me with a slight bow, following imperial etiquette.
“Thank you for your welcome, Prince.”
“Have you eaten?”
True to the reputation of Koreans as a people obsessed with food, Prince Anchang immediately asked about meals.
This aspect seemed to be a cultural element that had persisted even in this world where Goryeo had continued and Joseon had never formed.
“I had breakfast.”
Joban meant breakfast.
Though I wasn’t a king, I belonged to the same rank as a prince, so while my meals weren’t quite at the level of royal cuisine, they were close.
However, at my request, they had been simplified to well-dried beef jerky, rice, soup, and kimchi.
“Ah, then you must have lunch.”
Prince Anchang smiled as if pleased.
Typically, lunch consisted of noodles, dumplings, or rice cake soup.
In other words, he was suggesting we eat lunch together.
“That would be nice.”
“Haha. I’m glad we understand each other. Please, come inside.”
As we entered Prince Anchang’s mansion, a spacious courtyard came into view.
The yard was filled with all sorts of exercise equipment.
“You seem to enjoy exercise?”
“Haha. Of course. Among the Four Books and Six Classics, isn’t the Muscle Classic the most important?”
At the mention of the Muscle Classic, my thigh muscles, thoroughly trained by Yi Hwang, began to ache.
To reiterate, traditional Confucianism originally consisted of the Four Books and Five Classics. But the fusion of muscle philosophy and Confucianism had created a new essential text called the Muscle Classic.
This Muscle Classic had been influenced by the School of Mind and combined with the concept of sasangmaryeon.
Sasangmaryeon meant cultivating innate knowledge through daily life, suggesting that one must train the mind through actual action.
In short, it had become an ideology that physical exercise was necessary for mental training, so mastering the Four Books and Six Classics implied having some expertise in exercise.
“One must study the Muscle Classic to achieve gewu and ultimately attain zhizhi, which all rulers must possess.”
Gewu zhizhi.
A concept frequently appearing in Neo-Confucianism, it meant perfecting knowledge through studying the principles of actual things.
These two terms originated from The Great Learning, which outlined a progression: investigating things, extending knowledge, making thoughts sincere, rectifying the mind, cultivating the self, regulating the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world.
Confucius advocated first completing one’s character, then using the virtue of these individuals to lead social order toward an ideal society.
However, after the burning of books and burying of scholars, much knowledge was lost, and interpretations diverged in many directions.
If I were to mention only the mainstream Zhu Xi’s school and Wang Yangming’s school:
According to Zhu Xi’s school, or Neo-Confucianism, one should deeply explore the principles of knowledge to reach the core, creating the theory that nature is principle.
In contrast, Wang Yangming’s school created the theory that the mind is principle, suggesting that one should correct wrong thoughts to obtain right thoughts and reach the essence of the mind.
As someone with limited knowledge of Confucianism, let me briefly explain:
Neo-Confucianism meant studying hard to reach the limits of knowledge.
Wang Yangming’s school meant achieving virtue through moral practice.
Among these two interpretations, the Muscle Classic, influenced by Wang Yangming’s school, had replaced moral practice with exercise.
In short, it had become a strange discipline suggesting that reaching the extreme of muscle development through exercise would prevent bad thoughts.
“Your words are wise. The dishonest cannot practice shindok and cannot examine their own dishonesty, so even if they pursue knowledge, benevolence, and courage, the virtue they obtain will be impoverished.”
Shindok was a term from The Doctrine of the Mean, meaning to behave properly even when alone.
In short, it meant to act uprightly without treating people and things carelessly depending on the situation.
Knowledge, benevolence, and courage meant literally to accumulate knowledge through learning and to practice morality through that knowledge.
Translating my response to Prince Anchang’s explanation of gewu zhizhi based on the Muscle Classic:
One must diligently exercise and control one’s body even when no one is watching.
If one is lenient with oneself in exercise, even if one exercises, one cannot achieve virtue—in this case, muscle gains.
After I answered Prince Anchang’s question this way, he looked greatly surprised.
“Have you perhaps mastered The Doctrine of the Mean?”
“I am still in the learning stage.”
“I heard from the Jikjehak that you only started reading the Four Books and Six Classics recently… you are remarkable.”
It seemed Yi Hwang was on Prince Anchang’s side.
Otherwise, information wouldn’t have leaked so quickly.
“I heard that the Jikjehak mastered the Four Books and Six Classics at age 10. Learning from such a capable teacher has allowed even someone with my limited learning to dare speak the words of the sages.”
“Excessive modesty is not good.”
Though he said this, Prince Anchang looked quite surprised.
And for good reason—a mere 12-year-old child was able to engage in scholarly conversation.
As I keep mentioning, Yi Hwang, who had mastered the Four Books and Six Classics at age 10, was a very exceptional being.
Most people would only master them by age 16.
I was four years younger than those average people, yet I understood the Muscle Classic and the concept of gewu zhizhi from The Great Learning.
Additionally, I hadn’t answered about gewu zhizhi using The Great Learning, but had quoted from another classic, The Doctrine of the Mean. He couldn’t help but be surprised.
In modern terms, it was like an elementary school student citing a professor’s thesis to answer a college-level essay question.
“I worry that I’ve answered with mere knowledge without having accumulated virtue.”
As mentioned earlier, virtue here meant muscle.
I humbly answered that I was embarrassed to boast about knowledge without having muscles.
“Haha. Don’t worry. Since you understand the Muscle Classic so well, Khan Tolui will soon accumulate virtue.”
Expectation dripped from his words.
Judging by Prince Anchang’s eyes, I seemed to have passed his test.
In other words, I had impressed him.
This meant I could now get to the main point.
“Do you have something you wish from meeting me, Prince?”
“All connections are important. Distinguishing between important and unimportant ones is a futile task.”
At my words, Prince Anchang briefly wore a contemplative expression.
“I will dismiss everyone for a moment.”
When I nodded, Prince Anchang dismissed the people around us.
Then he approached me and revealed the truth.
“If the Crown Prince inherits the country, the Goryeo-Liaodong Federation will be manipulated by power holders. Then the prestige of the imperial family will fall.”
Though his words sounded plausible, what Prince Anchang wanted to say was simple.
Just like Prince Suyang in the Joseon era who stole the throne from his nephew King Danjong.
Of course, the situation then and now was different.
The current emperor, equivalent to King Sejong, was still alive.
In other words, if the emperor could be persuaded to let Prince Anchang inherit the throne, there would be no tragedy between blood relatives.
“Do you desire the throne?”
To this, Prince Anchang neither nodded nor shook his head.
He just looked at me.
“Then why not meet with His Majesty and persuade him?”
“That is the hurdle before me now. But if you are as wise as I think, Khan, you’ll know that even if I overcome that hurdle, a greater one remains.”
Even if the emperor were persuaded, the biggest problem that could never be resolved remained.
That was the principle of primogeniture.
“I am not the eldest legitimate son.”
My father, Khan Möngke, was also not the eldest legitimate son.
He was merely a being swept up in the great storm known as the princes’ war.
And among them, he was the one with the weakest power.
Being born under such a father, I too was far from legitimacy.
“Neither am I.”
Prince Anchang extended his hand to me.
After a moment’s hesitation, I took it.
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