626 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
thinking is both generous and tough. So, when you discharge state affairs,
they all turn out to be reasonable, and when you recommend men of talent,
they all perform as is expected of them. You are intelligent enough to distin-
guish between the true and the false, and wise enough to find ways to sup-
press the enemy. For this reason, I appointed you commander- in- chief of the
five provincial armies for this military campaign, bestowing you with a
banner and a battle axe and providing you with officials and aides who are to
assist you. Because I have made you supreme commander, other commanders
will listen to your orders most humbly, and the enemy will be scared to death
when they hear the news [about you]. I expect you, while sitting in your tent,
to produce outstanding ideas and strategies to defeat the enemy and lead
your generals until you accomplish your goal. You should make no mistakes,
so that there may not be another military campaign against the same enemy
in the future, thereby fulfilling my expectations of you.
“If it happens that some commanders and soldiers violate military rules,
or the local magistrates neglect your orders, I want you to immediately deal
with them in accordance with the law, regardless of their rank.” The mem-
bers of the Privy Council went out as far as the Han River to bid farewell [to
the departing expeditionary force].Min Kae, chief magistrate of Hansŏng, died. His clan seat was Yŏhŭng, and
he was the youngest son of Pyŏn, minister of personnel. He was born intel-
ligent and used to express passionate indignation against injustice. Thus, he
served as censor, and when he became chief royal secretary, he did a good
job in delivering royal orders to officials and conveying the opinions of
officials to the king.
On the day when [King] Kongyang abdicated, Kae, inspector-general at
that time, was against what was happening, and his words and face betrayed
his displeasure. Nam Ŭn and others said to Cho Chun: “Kae should be
beheaded.” Chun, however, stopped them from taking action, and Kae was
able to escape death.
Later, Kae served as governor of Kyŏngsang and Ch’ungch’ŏng Provinces,
and his performance was outstanding. When he died, his age was thirty-
seven, the scholars lamented his premature death. When Kae served as gov-
ernor, he led a life of frugality until he became ill. Having heard of it, the
king made a law requiring all provincial governors to have a meal four
times a day.