Goryeo 4 — King Chungnyeol and the Branch Secretariat for the Eastern Campaign高麗 四

In the seventh month of the twelfth year Heidi returned to the court. In the eleventh month an envoy was sent to instruct Sim to change the names of his offices, and Sim had Wang Jing, the marquis of Daebang, lead in twenty sons of capped houses to enter and attend. Shimo Tianqu was appointed deputy darughachi.

In the seventh month of the thirteenth year Sim sent Kim Bang-gyeong, his cheomui jungchan, to bear a memorial and offer congratulations on the pacification of Song. In the eleventh month Sim sent Ju Yeol, who held charge of the palace library office, to bear a memorial reporting that he had changed his name to Chun (賰).

In the first month of the fourteenth year it was said that Kim Bang-gyeong and others were plotting a revolt, and Sim was ordered to deal with it; and Xindu and Hong Dagu were ordered as well to put their troops in order and guard against it.

In the first month of the fifteenth year Chun said that the darughachi Shimo Tianqu had filled his term and had not been replaced, and asked that he stay three years more; and this was followed. The Marshals' Office for the Eastern Campaign reported, "Kim Bang-gyeong, the chancellor of Goryeo, together with his sons Heun, Seon and Sun and his son-in-law Jo Byeon and others, secretly raised four hundred men sworn to die, hid armor and weapons, built warships and stored up army grain, meaning to plot a revolt. Bang-gyeong and the others were seized and examined and the truth was got, and they have already been banished to the several sea islands. But Goryeo has only newly come over and the hearts of the people are not yet at rest. Two thousand seven hundred soldiers returned from the campaign against Japan may be sent out, with senior officers set over them, and stationed in Chungcheong and Jeolla and other places, to hold down the outer barbarians and settle the people. Let the officers and men also be made to provide oxen and plows, as a plan for garrison farming next year." In the seventh month the seal of the imperial son-in-law and king of Goryeo (駙馬高麗王印) was recast and given to Chun.

In the first month of the sixteenth year, by imperial order, four post stations were set up in that country: Daehoeaeju, Dongjing, Yuseok and Paerak.

In the fifth month of the seventeenth year Chun, because the people were starving, begged the loan of ten thousand seok of grain, and this was followed. In the seventh month, because that country had newly set up post stations and the people lacked food, an order was given to grant them a year's grain, and along with it envoys going back and forth were forbidden to demand food and drink of them. In the tenth month Chun was further given the titles of grand commissioner with ceremonial equal to the three offices, left chancellor of the Central Secretariat, and manager of the affairs of the branch secretariat.

In the second month of the eighteenth year Chun said that the pildochi of his country did not know the writing of official documents, and asked that one director and one vice director each be appointed to serve as their assistants. Chun also asked that the titles in his patent (宣命) be changed and the words imperial son-in-law (駙馬) added, and this was followed. In the sixth month Chun said that forty post stations had been set up in his country and that the people and their animals were worn out by them; by imperial order they were joined into twenty stations, and along with this eight hundred ingots were given as the price of horses. In the eighth month his Cheomuibu was raised to the junior third rank. In the eleventh month a myriarch office for guarding the frontier was set up at Geumju and those parts, to hold Japan in check.

In the first month of the nineteenth year Chun said that the Japanese had raided the seaside districts and towns of his country, burning dwellings and carrying off sons and daughters, and asked that five hundred Mongol troops under Shelitiemuer be sent out to guard Geumju; and again this was followed.

In the fifth month of the twentieth year the Branch Central Secretariat for the Eastern Campaign was established, and the king of Goryeo was made to carry on its business together with Atahai.

In the fifth month of the twenty-eighth year Chun's son Won (謜) was made heir, was granted the titles of specially advanced and supreme pillar of state, and was given a silver seal (銀印). In the tenth month, because there was famine in that country, two hundred thousand gok of rice were given to it.

In the second month of the thirtieth year Chun sent an envoy to report that he had again changed his name, to Geo (昛), and to beg for a merit title. The rescript said, "Geo, specially advanced, supreme pillar of state, grand commissioner with ceremonial equal to the three offices, left chancellor of the Branch Central Secretariat for the Eastern Campaign, imperial son-in-law and king of Goryeo, has kept the rank of king generation after generation and was chosen to marry into our house. In honoring his merit as a screen and hedge of the realm it is fitting to show him the favor of praise. Let him be granted the merit title Chuchung Seollyeok Jeongwon, and let the rest stand as before. Let him strive the more in his service and answer and set forth this fair command." In the eleventh month Geo came to court.

In the seventh month of the second year of Yuanzhen, under Chengzong, his Cheomuisa was raised to the second rank.

In the eleventh month of the first year of Dade, Geo was enfeoffed as the Ilsu king (逸壽王) and the heir Won was made king of Goryeo, which was to follow what had been asked.

In the seventh month of the second year a minister of the Central Secretariat reported that Won, who is King Chungseon, had offenses and ought to be deposed; and his father Geo was made king again.

In the first month of the third year Geo sent an envoy to bring tribute. The chancellor Wanze and others said, "In the time of Shizu someone said that Goryeo had presumptuously set up a secretariat, a bureau and a censorate, and an order came to do away with them; so that country then changed them and set up the Cheomuibu, the Miljiksa and the Gamchalsa. Now Won has given his subject Jo In-gyu the offices of minister over the masses, minister of works and chancellor; and Geo has given In-gyu a document of commendation pardoning nine capital crimes. He has also copied out the imperial genealogy (帝系) at his own will, made a calendar of his own, and raised his daughter to be yeongbi (令妃). He has also set up the Jajeongwon and made Choe Chung-so a heungnok daebu. Further, an order of the empress dowager was once received that the gyeopseoldae under the two seats of the princess and of Won be joined into one, and Won did not obey the order. Won also killed Kim Yeo, a commander of a thousand, at his own will, and gave his gold tally to the eunuch Zhuhe'er. In-gyu, moreover, presented his daughter to wait on Won, and there was a matter of sorcery (巫蠱). We now beg that In-gyu and Chung-so be sent to the two circuits of Jingzhao and Gongchang and settled there, and not allowed to go elsewhere. Geo acts against the law, and Won is young in years and kills the guiltless rashly. We beg that an edict come down to warn and admonish them." The emperor ordered that In-gyu and Chung-so be beaten with the rod and sent off. In the second month an edict instructed Geo and the subjects and people of his whole land: "From this day on, strive to keep the rules by which a country is guarded, and be the more careful of the warning to fear Heaven. Let all who hold office each be diligent in his own work and join their strength to aid and support, and not tread the wrong of former days and bring the law upon themselves. Let monks and Daoists, scholars and commoners each rest in his own calling."

In the fifth month Hasan came back from his mission to Goryeo and said that Geo could not bring his people to obedience and that the court ought to send an officer to govern it with him. Thereupon the Branch Secretariat for the Eastern Campaign was set up again, and Kuolijisi was ordered to be manager of governmental affairs of the Goryeo branch secretariat. In the ninth month Geo sent an envoy to bring tribute, and because the court had added the branch secretariat he sent up a memorial stating his case. Its gist said, "For many generations we have had the merit of serving the throne, and for more than eighty years in all we have year by year kept up our tribute of office. I once entered as heir to attend, and was allowed to join in marriage with the imperial house, so that we became as nephew and uncle (甥舅); truly I am moved by this utmost favor. That a small country be not made to change the way of its ancestors, but keep the duty of a vassal lord forever, is what I hope for."

In the second month of the fourth year Kuolijisi, manager of governmental affairs of the Branch Secretariat for the Eastern Campaign, said, "The king of Goryeo has of himself set up three hundred and fifty-eight offices with four thousand and fifty-five officers, and all that they wear and eat is taken from the people, and then they levy harshly besides. Further, at his great assemblies the king has the gokgae canopy (曲蓋), the dragon screen (龍扆) and the gyeongpil clearing of the way (警蹕), and the many subjects perform the dancing and the sanho acclaim (舞蹈山呼), all exactly as in the ceremony of the court. The presumption is far too great." Tacha'er, the commissioner for pacification and comfort of Shandong, and Wang Taiheng, the minister of justice, were sent bearing an edict to instruct him, and to have him set things right and report. In the third month Kuolijisi reported again, "The officers of the Cheomuisa will not hand over the household registers of the people or the boundaries of the prefectures and counties. That country levies wildly and collects harshly, its people are few and its officers many, and its punishments are not uniform. If things are to be done only according to their own customs (本俗), it will in truth be hard to soothe and govern them."

In the second month of the fifth year the officers of the branch secretariat were done away with for Geo's sake, and there was an edict instructing Geo. In the autumn, in the seventh month, Geo sent up a memorial saying, "In the old days, when we lived on the sea island, we once used the sanho acclaim (山呼), and afterward changed it and called out cheonchu (千秋); now that I have received the bright edict, all of it has been done away with. I have also abolished more than ninety offices and weeded out more than two hundred and seventy officials. Besides these, the miscellaneous labor services that sickened the people, and the post horses that troubled the relay stations, have all been cut down as well." The edict said, "Do you take in my meaning, and carry out to the end what you have said. If it should be otherwise, how could you not be ashamed and afraid?"

Geo was restored to his place in the second year of Dade and died in the eighth year. His son Won succeeded to the throne again. In the first years of Chengzong he married the princess Baotashilian. In the eleventh year his rank was raised to prince of Shenyang, and he then succeeded to the place of king of Goryeo, and he had a son, Do (燾). Do received the throne when it was yielded to him, and in the fourth month of the second year of Huangqing, under Renzong, he was enfeoffed as king of Goryeo. In that year his younger brother Go (暠) was set up as heir, because their father the prince of Shenyang had asked it of the court. From Cheol it passed to his son Sik, and Sik passed it to his son Geo, and Geo to his son Won, and Won to his son Do, and Do to his younger brother Go. Sik's first name was Jeon; Geo's first name was Sim, and he was also named Chun, and afterward he was named Geo; and Won, it is said, changed his name to Jang (璋).