I Became the Crown Prince of a Ruined Country

11 – A New Life

I must have escaped from Jo Nara’s pressure. I won’t have to worry about eating and living.

Gradually, my plan to enjoy the rich unemployed life with a tourist mindset was stranded before it even started.

“Young master, we’ve been putting it off because the immediate situation was urgent, but there’s no need for that now. We’ll start the class again.”

I accepted the class without any complaints because I felt the importance of current knowledge in my meeting with Pyeongwon-gun.

Unlike later generations, where textbooks to be taken are fixed, Hankyung’s classes are conducted in a way that explains anecdotes, learns lessons from them, and then discusses what could have been better.

It felt like listening to an old story, and it felt like we were playing a situational drama by dividing roles, so it was quite fun.

It was a fruitful lecture with practicality in that it could be applied to real life.

But there was another problem.

“Young master, you should read those words with your eyes, not with your eyes.”

“What is this? What are you talking about? That’s what you mean.”

While I was reading a book, I picked up a brush to point out the Hankyung that came in.

Utilizing the skills from his previous life, which was a hobby of calligraphy, he writes the word “Hwiririk Horse”.

Hankyung tilted his head as if he was puzzled when I pushed a nicely written letter to Hankyung, who was catching nonsensical quibbles.

“Young master, aren’t these the letters of the Qin Dynasty?”

“Huh?”

“This is Jo Nara, so I prepared a book with Jo Nara’s letters… I guess I should start with the letters.”

I had been so busy that I forgot about it.

The Chinese characters of this era were different from the ones I knew in my previous life.

The Warring States period before the unification of the central plains. The letters of Danggeum were different in each country.

The form of Chinese characters I know was used in the Qin Dynasty, which would unify the world, not in the Zhao Dynasty or the Yan Dynasty.

Even the calligraphy of the Qin Dynasty was slightly different from the Chinese characters he had learned in his previous life.

“I’m illiterate…”

The splendid achievement of being the 2nd level in Chinese characters achieved while spending my school days at a time when Chinese character education was strong.

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Since then, the achievements of his youth, which served as an opportunity for him to develop a hobby of calligraphy, were ultimately judged to be of no use.

If I was worthless even when I was thinking about finding a job in my previous life, but it is meaningless even though I have come to an era where I should be useful, why on earth do I spend so much time…….

“It’s futile.”

In parallel with studying Chinese characters, which started from zero, Hankyung’s classes went smoothly.

After class in the morning, there was no additional study in the afternoon.

It was almost four hours, but compared to my previous life, who had self-study in the afternoon as well as at night, or the Joseon Dynasty’s crown prince, who suffered from studying all day long, it was very spacious.

‘If you think that you were born as the Crown Prince of Joseon, that’s terrible.’

It would be nice to be able to use Chinese characters, but the amount of memorization of the crown prince education in Joseon is different.

Now, if the books that are sourced from anecdotes are used as supplementary textbooks, the education of the crown prince in Joseon was basically a method of memorizing all kinds of sutras based on the three scriptures.

Even in this era, there are rites written by Young master, the Analects written by his descendants, Mencius, and Jungyong, but as I said before, Confucianism was not particularly popular, so the importance was not high.

Rather, there was a strong perception that the theory was something that the people under him did on their own. The pragmatism that it is more important for a leader to use them is the foundation of the study of kingship.

I wonder if the focus of royal education is on how to respond wisely to the rapidly changing political situation, and how to recognize and manage talented people.

Anyway, after class in the morning, do you play tangja tangja in the afternoon? It wasn’t like that again.

In the afternoon, I had other work to do, just as Hankyung was preparing for the next class while working as a general manager.

If the morning is study time, the afternoon is business time.

So, I was waiting to visit Pyeongwon-gun and get my face stamped.

My affluent daily life is entirely based on the support of Pyeongwon-gun.

If my rating continues to drop and go all the way to delisting, Pyeongwon-gun will cleanly cut me off.

Since I have achieved my goal with the help of others, I have no choice but to constantly prove my worth in order to maintain it.

‘Or build a foundation of your own to become completely independent, but that’s a bit difficult.’

And the level that Pyeongwon-gun expects from me is not ridiculously high. In moderation, it was enough to say that he had the credibility to keep his promise to me in the future because he won the throne without being taken away.

‘But when I think about it, isn’t that a very difficult thing? It is said that the position of the head of the village is so difficult, but it won’t be easy to ascend the throne.’

For now, we just need to make Pyeongwon-gun think that this guy has a chance. Huh.

Isn’t it an investment in a promising player, rather than wanting an immediate sense of power?

Pyeongwon-gun’s reaction to me wasn’t too bad either. And there were people who helped me.

“Gourmet customers are largely divided into three categories.”

It was cold.

He was kind to me from the first day, and he taught me various things and acted as a guide.

“Classification is made through accommodations. Depending on the accommodation you stay in, you can tell the class of the diners.”

“Isn’t everyone equal?”

“Hmm, because so many people come. And competition isn’t always a bad thing. People’s drive to rise brings results.”

It is a structure that encourages competition by dividing grades.

Well, no matter how rich Pyeongwongun is, if he treats all his diners with the best treatment, he will soon go bankrupt.

Compared to the 3,000 at its peak, there are only about 1,000 left now, but how much does it cost to feed them?

“Then you can see me as a diner too? Isn’t my accommodation also provided by Pyeongwon-gun?”

“Hmm, it’s a little different. First, I’ll explain the inn. The lowest inn is called Warrior.”

The first lodging that King Jo gave me was also a warrior. It was the lowest level among the guests.

Even he can feel the gap between the rich and the poor according to his social status in that he is above the middle by the standards of ordinary people.

“The next event is the event. From here on, the meals are also decent. And finally, there is the Ambassador as the first class lodging, and the number of guests staying here is limited to 10% of the total.”

“Then Mr. Chu must be staying at Daesa?”

“Whoops, what about it?”

“Yes? I don’t think Mr. Chu will be at the event…”

“There is one more lodging that I haven’t explained.”

As expected. If you look at Chuyeon’s career alone, it’s a national emergency. Looking at the conversation with the guards last time, it was said that the position was considerable.

“Those who are treated better than the ambassador’s caterers are given private outbuildings, not communal quarters.”

Chuyeon spread her hands out wide.

“And a total of 5 outbuildings visited the owner. Those who know them call them the Five Clouds.”

The word “Lucky guest” Was a misnomer for wise men who lived in seclusion.

So, to put it literally, instead of serving in the world, they are serving as diners to Pyeongwon-gun, and are about five wise men who have hidden their appearances.

“I know three of them.”

“Oh, already?”

“First of all, Mr. Chu said it himself, so it’s unconditional, and the people I’ve seen before have deserved to be called ‘passengers’ based on their location and words and actions.”

“I expected this far, but who is the other one?”

“The other day, when I heard Master Punggi talk, he said that a man named Lee Dam taught all the diners. I wonder if he was that person.”

Chooyeon’s face cooled rapidly at my words.

Chuyeon, who had been talking more excitedly until just now, kept her mouth shut and put on a bitter expression.

“Mr. Chu…?”

As if Chuyeon wasn’t angry, she said, shaking her head with an awkward smile.

“Excuse me. Yes, it’s as Young master said. Dam is also a lucky guest. You have a good memory.”

“Ahahahaha, he was young too, so it was memorable. I hope we can meet again next time.”

“…Young master. It’s a pity, but that wish seems difficult.”

After hearing that, I realized why Chuyeon’s expression had darkened and sighed.

“No way…”

“Yes. Dami is dead. Even so, Pyeongwon-gun keeps the annex that he gave to Dami. It’s all four.”

“How did that happen?”

“As Young master knows, Handan was recently besieged by the Qin army.”

Was it a disaster that occurred after the defeat in the Great War of Jangpyeong?

I nodded and Chuyeon continued her explanation.

“At that time, Pyeongwon-gun couldn’t bear the guilt and fell into pleasure. Of course, he didn’t sit by and watch the situation, but after achieving the union of Wei and Cho with 20 diners.”

Moving an army requires preparation.

It doesn’t mean that the army is moving immediately just because you will give you support.

Because of this, Pingyuan’s army first obtained only an oath of union and returned to Handan.

Indulging in pleasure was the moment when I felt relieved that the situation had been resolved.

“In a situation where Hana reinforcements might arrive at any moment, the Qin army was besieging Handan, so this was a wrong move. None of the diners, however, offered a remonstrance to the Pingyuan army, except for one.”

“That person is Lee Dam.”

“That’s right. She had a simple appearance, but she was a strong and brilliant girl with a heart more than anyone else. Only Dami scolded Pyeongwon-gun for direct revenge instead of getting wet in pleasure. A 16-year-old girl was so bold.”

Pyeongwon-gun came to his senses belatedly, accepted Yidam’s advice, sent his wife and concubine to the front, and directly organized a 3,000-strong death squad to intercept the advance outside the castle.

Lee Dam was also in the death squad. And Adam did not come back alive.

“Gun Pyongwon hugged Dami’s body and wept. Then, he sealed Dami’s father in later years, and placed a mortuary tablet in the annex given to Dami.”

After the explanation, Chuyeon took a break and looked at me and said.

“Do you know why I am telling this to Young master?”

“I think you are letting us know in advance so that you don’t make a mistake in front of Pyeongwon-gun.”

“This is only half correct. What I have told you is…”

Why I didn’t notice.

Chooyeon calmly told her about it.

“Because what I said is the attitude Young master should take from now on.”

Chooyeon’s eyes, saying that, seemed to be looking across the distant future rather than the present moment.