400 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
mother and close relatives, who were enfeoffed as lady of the palace
(kungju), princess- ordinary (ongju), and great lady of the state (kuktae
puin), were provided with either tribute supplies or monthly stipends. We
request that both tribute supplies and monthly stipends be abolished.” The
king said, “Stop providing tribute supplies and give them all monthly sti-
pends instead.”The king said to Prince Chŏngan [later King T’aejong], “If the Ming emperor
asks a question, there is no one but you who can answer.” Prince Chŏngan
replies, “How dare I decline the task when it concerns the future of the
state?” In tears, the king said, “Being so physically weak, can you under-
take such a long journey without trouble?”
Officials in the court unanimously said that it was too risky for His
Majesty [Prince Chŏngan] to undertake the journey. Nam Chae said, “Prince
Chŏngan is going to travel a thousand li for the state. How can we die here,
laying our heads on the pillow [comfortably]?” Then he volunteered to
follow the prince.7th Day (Ŭlhae)
The king finally sent Prince Chŏngan and Cho Pan, administrative director
of the Security Council, to Ming China, carrying his memorial to the
emperor, and also let Nam Chae, assistant grand councilor of the Chancellery,
submit another memorial to the emperor. The memorial was as follows:
“Your imperial envoys Hwang Yŏnggi and others visited us with an offi-
cial letter from the Chief Military Commission of the Left Army, which
carried your sacred instruction, and this is what you said: ‘Take a list of
individuals in the recent investigations of your Left Army to Koryŏ, together
with the one made in the previous investigations, after making them into an
official document. Furthermore, let the eldest or second- eldest son of the
Korean king personally bring back to China the ones who committed the
incursion of our borders.’
“Having received your decree, which is no less dreadful than the Mandate
of Heaven, I decided to send my son, which I believe is my duty as your
subject. Now I would like to appeal to you by submitting what I feel, for
your merciful consideration.
“As I look back, I was able to arrive at the present position thanks to your
great favor and therefore have tried to express my gratitude as your subject