834 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
Catching sight of Pangbŏn entering the inner palace, Prince Chŏngan
called to him, but Pangbŏn simply paused a moment, scratching his head,
and then proceeded without answering.
Early in the evening, someone came out from the inner palace and called
out to the princes: “The king’s condition is so serious that he intends to be
moved to another place for treatment. The princes should come in quickly,
but none of their attendants are allowed.”
Hwa [Prince Ŭian], Chong [Lord of Ch’ŏngwŏn], and Yi Che first went
out to the yard, but Prince Chŏngan, along with Prince Igan, Prince Hoean,
and Lord of Sangdang, stayed behind for a moment. Before they proceeded,
they quietly exchanged words inside the hall.
Old custom dictated that the various gates inside the palace be illumi-
nated with lamps at night. This night, however, none were lit, making the
princes even more suspicious. Though Hwa, Che, and Chong went inside,
Prince Chŏngan went outside the gate of the western hall on the pretext that
his stomach was upset. He continued to ponder while sitting on the toilet,
and then he suddenly heard his elder brothers Igan and Hoean running out
and calling for him. Prince Chŏngan asked, “Brothers, why do you call me
so loudly?” Prince Chŏngan stood up and, shaking his sleeves on both sides,
he said to himself, “The situation is irreversible.” He immediately ran out
of the West Gate of the palace walls on horseback, and Prince Igan, Prince
Hoean, and Lord of Sangdang all ran after him on foot. Though Lord of
Sangdang continued to follow Prince Chŏngan, the other princes floundered
around.
Prince Chŏngan sent a message to Prince Pangbŏn through his subordi-
nate Ma Ch’ŏnmok.^39 He said, “I want you to follow me. In the end, they^40
will not leave you alone, either.” Pangbŏn, who was lying in his room inside
the palace, sat up to see Ma Ch’ŏnmok. After listening to his words, he lay
back down.
Pangbŏn’s followers were all thugs and ruffians, only good at archery and
horseback riding. They had long tried to seize the position of crown prince- Ma Ch’ŏnmok (1358–1431): a military official of the late Koryŏ and early Chosŏn
dynasty. Assisting Prince Chŏngan during the First Strife of Princes in 1398, he became
supreme general. He also made contributions during the Second Strife of Princes the following
year. He served as commander- in- chief (toch’ongje) and military commissioner of Chŏlla
Province and, concurrently, magistrate of Naju and was enfeoffed as Lord of Changhŭng. - Chŏng Tojŏn, Nam Ŭn, and others who supported Crown Prince Pangsŏk and tried to
remove Prince Chŏngan and his brothers for the purpose of seizing power in the future.