I Became Park Jeong-ui’s Nephew - Chapter 47



Only Krnovel

He became Park Jeong-ui’s nephew. – (47)

“I would like to inform the patriarchs of the dynasty. In the 59th year of Gwangmu, my grandson Lee Gang offers a memorial service to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our country’s independence.”

This is Jongmyo,

The Jongmyo ancestral rites began in a solemn atmosphere.

Jongmyo Jerye is a ceremony to honor the spirit tablets of the kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty. It is the largest rite held by the royal family and is also called Jongmyo Daeje.

However, after the fall of Joseon, the event was officially abolished and reduced to a form in which King Yi occasionally visited the Jongmyo Shrine.

The person who hosted this event until now was Prince Yeongchin Lee Eun, but his existence has been completely erased by the South Korean government.

Prince Yeongchin has been a person with a bad smell since the process of his accession to the throne.

According to the royal lineage, Emperor Gojong’s eldest son, Sunjong, is first in line for the throne, and Prince Yi Gang is second in line.

However, Prince Yeongchin’s biological mother, Lady Eom, tried to make her son the crown prince, and colluded with pro-Japanese collaborator Lee Jun-yong to ultimately turn the royal genealogy into a mess.

That’s not all.

Afterwards, Prince Yeongchin was treated as a member of the Japanese royal family and was used as a tool to justify Japan’s rule over Joseon.

The legitimate heir to the throne who can preside over the Jongmyo Jerye is not Prince Yeongchin but Prince Ui, and in that sense, this event has the significance of correcting the genealogy of the Joseon royal family.

‘I’m not happy at all. What’s the point of this…?’

But Prince Ui was uncomfortable with this position.

Prince Ui had a history of trying to escape Japan and join the provisional government, and he showed his position that if Joseon became independent, it would be okay for the monarchy to be abolished.

Would such a person now be recognized as a legitimate heir to the Joseon royal family and shed tears of joy at being in charge of the Jongmyo Shrine?

What is the meaning of the Jongmyo ancestral rites for the Joseon royal family, which is now nothing but an empty shell?

Still, I was willing to hand over the throne if the president wanted to succeed to the royal family.

“Will you cooperate?”

“Of course. The throne belongs to the one who has won the hearts of the people. How could I oppose it?”

“Then, Your Excellency the President, please adopt me as your heir and hand over the throne to me.”

“I will do that.”

In fact, when the Korean People’s Party promoted a constitutional monarchy, Prince Ui hastened his ascension to the throne.

By adopting the president as his successor, he secured legitimacy and justification, and he planned to announce this fact to the enthusiastic supporters through a congratulatory address at this Jongmyo Festival.

But the president refused to take the throne,

This year’s Jongmyo Jerye is an event to commemorate the fallen dynasty; it has no more or less meaning.

The South Korean government has not taken any significant action, but shouldn’t it send a political message?

Park Jeong-ui, the political director of the Korean People’s Party, congratulated the 59th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Empire in front of Prince Ui.

“Your Majesty, congratulations. The royal family tree is now properly established.”

“Hehehe~ What does that mean? If the President ascended to the throne, then this place would have meaning.”

“Please understand. Your Majesty, I am not denying Joseon. I am just…”

“I know even if you don’t say it. This country no longer needs a king.”

Prince Ui realized the reality early on.

The Joseon royal family, who were treated as royalty under Japanese colonial rule at the cost of the lives of their citizens, what meaning would it have for the people and the president to inherit such a royal family?

The royal family should inherit properly. I don’t like this even if it’s given to me for free.

Prince Ui brought out words that had been on his mind for a long time.

“I understand your Majesty’s intentions. I also hated the royal family.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, that’s what everyone was talking about with that throne….”

Prince Ui’s biological mother was Lady Jang,

Although she received the favor of Emperor Gojong and gave birth to a son, she was hated by Empress Myeongseong and was banished from the palace. She was treated well only after her death.

However, the tragedy that his mother had suffered was passed on to her son, and Prince Ui fell out of favor with Lady Eom and those in power.

The Joseon royal family, who fought and slandered each other for power, would feel good about standing shoulder to shoulder with such people?

Why would the people support a royal family like this?

However, Prince Ui is treated well, while Prince Yeong is treated worse than dog poop on the streets of Korea.

There are people who are sharpening their knives to kill anyone who comes to Korea, but compared to them, Prince Ui and his direct descendants live in luxury, receiving an annual pension of 1.2 million won from the Korean government.

If you think about it, you are being treated excessively.

Prince Ui respected the president’s position.

“I hate to say this myself, but… Jongmyo Jerye is nothing more than an empty shell that commemorates a fallen nation. There is no need for the President to inherit the Korean Empire, and there is no reason for him to participate in such an event.”

“Don’t blame yourself so much. Didn’t Prince Ui work hard for Joseon’s independence? You did something meaningful.”

“Haha~ Thank you for saying that. Now I have no regrets even if I die.”

“What do you mean?”

“What regrets would a father have in this world after sending his child away? He must have even offered ancestral rites at the ancestral shrine… Now, I too must fly away.”

Prince Ui left with a bitter smile.

The back of an old man who looks somehow lonely,

A few months later, Prince Ui passed away quietly in his sleep.

Who would have thought that the Jongmyo ancestral rites would be Prince Ui’s last steps? Korean public opinion made a big deal out of this fact.

[Prince Ui, the first lineage of the Korean Empire, dies at age 78]

[It seems likely that he will be buried in the tomb of his biological mother, Lady Jang]

The news reached all the way across the sea to Japan.

There are still quite a few Joseon royal family members remaining in Japan. Will they be able to return to Korea under the pretext of paying their respects to Prince Ui?

In particular, Prince Yeongchin earnestly wished to return to the country.

However, the Korean government still maintains a hard-line stance that Prince Yeongchin can never set foot in Korea.

***

“Your Majesty, Madam Yi Bang-ra has something to tell you….”

“Please tell him I won’t be seeing him.”

Today, I continued my daily routine and handled state affairs as usual.

The existence of Prince Yeong, who was recalled after the death of Prince Ui,

The people still have no intention of forgiving Prince Yeongchin.

It is disgusting that he was used as a tool of Japan, but the process by which he ascended to the position of Crown Prince of the Korean Empire is also disgusting in itself.

Is Prince Yeongchin really an unfortunate protagonist who was exploited by the Japanese?

Korean public opinion took this opportunity to completely expose the true nature of Prince Yeongchin.

[Prince Yimin, or Yi Eun, was a Japanese Army lieutenant general and commander, and served as the commander of the 1st Air Force from 1943 to 1945. Under the 1st Air Force was the 10th Air Division, whose mission was suicide attacks.]

Was it really true that Prince Yeongchin was unaware of this fact?

Even when the suicide attack was successful, Prince Yeongchin was treated as a military adviser.

The Military Council is a group that advises the Emperor on military operations, and its members include the Minister of the Army, the Minister of the Navy, the Chief of Staff, and the heads of each division.

In short, it was a gathering of the Emperor’s closest associates. Only eight members of the Imperial Family were included here, and Prince Yeongchin was the only Korean to be treated as a councilor.

Despite this, Prince Yeongchin appears to be simply a tool used by the Japanese.

At this point, the pro-Japanese collaborators who benefited from Japanese colonial rule look cute.

‘You are a very bad case. Even the leader of a ruined country can live well by surrendering? That’s impossible.’

I am an opportunistic person, so I don’t see betrayal as a bad thing.

But betrayal is only allowed to those below you.

Were the loyal subjects who threw themselves into the river to resist the collapsing Southern Song Dynasty foolish enough to do that?

Frankly, at the point where the Empress Dowager surrendered to the Mongols, the Southern Song vassals had no reason to resist anymore.

Why should the subjects risk their lives fighting when the Empress Dowager, of all people, handed the capital over to the bandits?

In such cases, the subjects can surrender and seek their own way of life.

But a leader shouldn’t do that,

Did the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty commit suicide because he was stupid? If you are the leader of a country, you should show that level of responsibility.

But what about the Joseon royal family?

Not only did they hand over the lives of their people to Japan in the name of survival, but they also lived in luxury in Japan, receiving royal treatment.

At least Prince Yi Kang felt ashamed of that kind of life and tried to escape, showing at least a modicum of conscience.

But what about Prince Yeongchin? No matter how much I think about it, there is no room for leniency in this person.

I don’t know what excuse Mrs. Lee Bang-ra came to make, but my position is firm.

I made my position known once again.

[What crime could the people of a ruined country have committed? I can understand that they collaborated with the Japanese in order to survive.

However, the Joseon royal family, despite being the leaders of the country, threw away the lives of their people like worn-out shoes and were treated as royalty in Japan. Prince Yeongchin was even the commander-in-chief of an air force division that carried out suicide attacks.

What more explanation is needed?

I am also an opportunistic person, so I bow my head before the United States, but as the president of Korea, I do not want to live in luxury while abandoning the people.

If Prince Yeongchin knows shame, he should never set foot on his country’s soil for the rest of his life. After his death, I will at least provide him with a grave. That is the greatest favor Korea can give him.]

The news reached across the sea to Japan.

An incident that showed how Korea views Prince Yeongchin, Ms. Lee Bang-ra, who came to persuade the Korean government, also faced reality and returned.

***

[I apologize with my death. I ask for forgiveness for the last time from the Korean people who suffered for 36 years because of the irresponsible actions of the Joseon royal family. I will take all the blame, so please show mercy to the remaining royal descendants.]

This is Japan,

A man wrote a will with a calm expression.

His true identity is the last crown prince of the Korean Empire, who lived his entire life as a member of the Japanese royal family, but has now fallen to the status of a commoner due to his divine descent.

That’s it.

All of the property he had in Joseon was confiscated.

The Korean government took away the land that his mother, Mrs. Eom, donated to the university and the management rights she received in return.

In short, he is penniless, and unlike Prince Ui, he cannot receive a pension from the Korean government, and now he has no way to make a living.

I believed that I could return to my homeland if the relationship between Japan and Korea was restored, but my last remaining hope was lost.

He realized that he had to die in order to save the others.

‘Mother… why did you make me the crown prince?’

Prince Yeongchin thought of his mother for the last time.

Who would have liked to have been educated in Japan?

He was taken to Japan at a young age, received all kinds of brainwashing education, and thus became a member of the Japanese royal family.

It is true that he has been involved in dirty work, having commanded numerous suicide attacks so far and even been treated as a councilor in return.

Is this the life a mother wanted for her child?

Did you want to achieve your goal even if it meant joining hands with pro-Japanese collaborators?

Prince Yeongchin realized that human greed is fleeting.

But, regretting and crying wouldn’t change anything, so I asked for forgiveness from my stepbrother who had passed away first.

[Brother, I will follow you. Even if we meet in the afterlife, please don’t hate me too much. I didn’t become the crown prince because I wanted to. How much did my mother’s greed hurt you? If I see you in the afterlife, I will apologize on behalf of my mother.]

So Prince Yeongchin left a will and disappeared from sight of his family.

The family reported it to the police, but the whereabouts are unknown.

And 11 days after being reported missing, her body was found.

An incident that turned Japan upside down, but is it okay for someone who was once a member of the Japanese royal family to die in such a miserable way?

The death of Prince Yoshihiro was a great shock to the Japanese royal family, including Emperor Hirohito.