01. Prologue
How many people really know about the Jeongmyo Horan?
The Byeongjahoran is famous thanks to Injo, who had a flexible neck, a sturdy skull, and thick facial skin.
The Jeongmyo Horan was also a humiliating event in Joseon’s history, but it’s less known because it was overshadowed by the Byeongjahoran.
January 13, 1627. Ten years before the Byeongjahoran.
The Manchu barbarians with their petty, narrow heads crossed the frozen Yalu River and had their first battle at Uiju Fortress.
And, unfortunately, not many people knew that on that very first day at Uiju Fortress, the nephew of Admiral Yi Sun-sin—Chungmugong—was killed.
Of course, I knew.
I knew because I had aced the hellishly difficult Korean history exam for civil servants, the kind where they ask things like:
“How many books did Jeong Yak-yong write?” or “Arrange these four Goryeo-era books in chronological order.”
You even had to get the years of publication correct within three years.
I passed that level of difficulty perfectly in my previous life as a ninth-rank minor official.
The problem was that while I knew all of this, I wasn’t Yi Wan, the Uiju magistrate and nephew of Chungmugong. I wasn’t Lee Hoon, the officer of the Uiju garrison either.
I was just the eldest son of Chungmugong’s firstborn.
Yi Seong.
Fortunately, I could change history.
It wasn’t a massive change, but I could save more lives.
The pride I felt and seeing the people of Uiju smile at my achievements made me feel that I had finally set the right direction for my life in this incarnation.
Since I was born into the bloodline of Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin anyway, I decided to serve the monarch faithfully and love the country, and try to compensate for Injo—who was incompetent and far from kind—by assisting him wisely and subtly altering history.
Wouldn’t it be better if Injo became more like a downgraded version of Seonjo, rather than repeating the failures of history?
After all, if I perform some merit, he might even elevate me to a higher position someday…
“Yi Wan, Uiju magistrate and officer of Uiju garrison, has committed a grave crime by failing to stop the northern barbarians in Uiju and allowing them to cross the Yalu River and set foot on the lands cultivated by the ancestors!”
Wait, what the hell are you saying? Damn it!
“Under normal circumstances, you would be punished, but due to the national crisis and the severity of the northern invasion, and given that you did achieve some merit, albeit small, you shall not be dismissed and investigated. Instead, your rank is reduced to Ga-seon Daebu (Senior Minister), and you shall perform your duties with loyalty and righteousness.”
“···Your mercy is boundless.”
Are these guys insane right now?
“Wow… what a fatherless, motherless bastard.”
“Excuse me?”
It seemed like Injo was hopeless.
It looked like this life wasn’t meant for me to become Chungmugong.
“Injo, damn bastard…”
Yeah. If we’re talking about official titles (Gong 公),
Wouldn’t it be better to just manage the northern Uiju garrison?
