388 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
The king said, “I already prohibited the Three Offices from submitting a
memorial jointly. Why do you not obey my orders?”
At first, the Censorate and the Board of Punishments repeatedly sub-
mitted memorials to the king to eliminate the Wang clan, but the king did
not have the heart to do so. Therefore, he refused to grant the requests made
by the officials. For several days now, the officials have prostrated them-
selves on the ground in front of the palace gate, showing no sign of giving
up their request. The king finally gave orders to the Privy Council: “I can
hardly bear to see the Wang clan removed. Let all high and low officials,
hallyang, and retired senior ministers have a meeting and write down their
own opinions separately and submit them to me directly.”
Gathering the officials of various departments and government agencies
as well as retired officials at Such’ang Palace, the Privy Council announced:
“The Wang clan of the previous dynasty lost both the Mandate of Heaven
and the hearts of the people, so they themselves invited punishment from
Heaven. His Majesty, however, generously spared their lives, which is itself
a great favor. Notwithstanding, the Wang clan members became suspicious
and secretly attempted to commit treason, and this is clearly against the law.
We want you to write down your opinions as to how to deal with the Wang
clan for their crime and directly submit them to the king.”
So the officials of the Chancellery and the Security Council and other
agencies, as well as retired senior ministers, said that the Wang clan should
all be eliminated in order to prevent trouble in the future. Only several
dozen officials of the Astronomical and Meteorological Observatory, Palace
Medical Office, and Palace Granary said that they should be exiled to an
island.
The king ordered the Privy Council to discuss the matter once again.
Then the Privy Council said, “The opinions of the majority should be fol-
lowed.” Following what it said, the king finally gave his decree: “With
regard to the matters concerning the Wang clan members, I will act
according to the general opinions submitted by the officials of the various
departments and agencies. As for Wang U and his two sons, however, I will
make an exception and pardon them so that they can perform the rites for
their ancestors.”
The king dispatched Chŏng Namjin, assistant director of the Security Coun-
cil, and Ham Purim, third minister of the Board of Punishments, to Samch’ŏk;
Yun Panggyŏng, minister of punishments, and O Mong’ŭl, general- in- chief,