232 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
know what to do until I had advice from Yi Yŏm and made up my mind, and
as a result, I am able to be here today. Though Yŏm could not participate in
opening the new dynasty because he served in the province, he should be at
the top of the minor merit subject list.
Last time, when the responsible office submitted a list of minor merit
subjects, they accidentally left out Yŏm’s name, and it made me extremely
upset. He shall be honored and rewarded based on the precedent of Ch’oe
Yŏngji, assistant grand councilor of the Chancellery.”The Board of Punishments submitted a memorial to the king: “Since so-
called punishment is what the sages dealt out with extreme caution, one
cannot but be careful when one carries it out. In olden days, capital punish-
ment was enforced after reporting it three or five times, but these days the
ancient law is no longer kept and, accordingly, mistakes are made. From
this day forward, we request that capital punishment be reported three
times. When a crime for capital punishment is committed outside the cap-
ital, the local magistrate should report to the governor, and the governor, in
turn, should personally investigate it and report it to the Privy Council; then
the Privy Council should report it to the king three times before it is finally
implemented.” The king granted the request.19th Day (Kimi)
The king with Consort Hyŏn paid a visit to Lady An of Ŭihwa Palace at her
private residence and enjoyed a banquet.20th Day (Pyŏngsin)
A tiger strayed into the downtown district, and a resident of Hŭngguk
Village shot it down.27th Day (Kyemyo)
The king paid a visit to Such’ang Palace with Consort Hyŏn.28th Day (Kapsin)
Dynasty-founding merit subjects held a banquet for the king, and one after
another they wished the king a long life, raising their drinking cups. They
enjoyed themselves to their hearts’ content and went home.