842 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
Everyone at that time wanted to request that Prince Chŏngan be estab-
lished as crown prince, but Prince Chŏngan resolutely declined and instead
entreated the king to designate Prince Yŏngan as crown prince. Prince
Yŏngan said, “It is all thanks to the contributions made by Prince Chŏngan
that we could first raise a rightful cause and succeed in establishing a new
dynasty today. It is impossible for me to become crown prince.” Prince
Chŏngan now became more adamant in his refusal, saying, “In order to
establish the foundation of a nation, the eldest son must be chosen.” Prince
Yŏngan said, “In that case, I will see what I can do.” Thereupon, His Majesty
[Prince Chŏngan] ordered the Privy Council to submit a memorial to the
king, leading the hundred officials. The memorial read: “To set up the eldest
son as crown prince when the heir is chosen is the law handed down through
ten thousand generations. Nevertheless, Your Majesty abandoned the first-
born to choose the youngest. Tojŏn and others, manipulating the [young]
crown prince, wanted to harm the [older] princes, and its dire consequence
appeared to be unpredictable. Fortunately, thanks to the divine help of
Heaven and Earth and the spirits of the royal ancestors, the traitors were all
brought to justice and executed. We request that Your Majesty designate
Prince Yŏngan, who is a rightful heir, as crown prince.”
The memorial was presented to the king, and Munhwa [chief royal secre-
tary] read it aloud to the end. The crown prince, who was beside the king,
also heard it. After a long silence, the king finally remarked, “They are all
my sons. How can there be anything impossible [in making one of them
crown prince]!” Then, turning around, the king said to Pangsŏk [crown
prince and the youngest son], “It has also turned out to be convenient
for you.”
The king immediately granted the request. The grand councilors in the
hall asked what was going on. Munhwa replied, “It is about replacing the
crown prince.” Sŏkchu sealed the draft of the royal decree and asked
Munhwa to sign his name on it. When Munhwa refused, Sŏkchu asked Hwa,
and Hwa also refused. Then, Sŏkchu asked all the grand councilors in the
room, but none of them would do it. Munhwa said to Sŏkchu, “You are the
one who drafted the decree. Why don’t you sign the draft that you yourself
wrote?” Sŏkchu finally said, “Fine.” He signed his name on the draft and put
it in his sleeve.
A little later, Sŏkchu went inside and came out with the royal orders from
the king. He said, “The king wants to have his decree revised and pro-
claimed as soon as possible.” Munhwa asked, “How should we revise it?”