Book XIV 845was not only a mistake that I made while blinded by my indulgent love, but
also the responsibility of Chŏng Tojŏn, Nam Ŭn, and others, who failed to
assist me properly. If they had remonstrated with me, citing the mistake of
King Ping of Chu,^50 who chose a younger son for his successor, how could
I have dared not to ignore the warning? Tojŏn and his collaborators not only
did not remonstrate with me, but also they were afraid that they might fail
to establish my youngest son as crown prince.
“A few days ago, Tojŏn, Ŭn, Hyosaeng, Chihwa, and others secretly con-
spired to undermine the foundation of the state for their own interests.
Fortunately, thanks to the help of Heaven and Earth as well as the spirits of
our ancestors, the traitors were deservedly put to death and the royal house
regained peace. Pangsŏk being the main source of trouble, he cannot be
allowed to stay in the capital and shall be banished to a distant eastern
border. Having already repented for my past mistake, I designate you [Prince
Yŏngan] as crown prince in accordance with the requests of the hundred
officials. I want you to cultivate your virtue, never make your parents
ashamed of you, and devote yourself wholeheartedly to stabilizing our Altar
of Earth and Grain.”
The king called Munhwa and Kim Yuk and ordered them to go out to see
the [new] crown prince. The crown prince called Munhwa and said to him,
“There are no royal guards in the palace. I want you to go back as fast as
possible.” Munhwa at once returned to the palace. Cho Sun [eunuch]
announced the order of the crown prince, saying, “Have everyone, except
court maids and palace slaves, leave the palace.” So, Munhwa also went out.
The crown prince asked Munhwa why he came out. Munhwa explained
the reason. The crown prince said, “I did not mean that you should come out.
Go back to the palace quickly and attend the king.” The crown prince also
ordered Supreme General Yi Pu to go into the palace and attend the king.
The king sent Cho Sun to bestow a hat and saddled horse upon the crown
prince. The crown prince went into the palace.
When Yi Che [Lord of Hŭngan and the king’s son- in- law] returned home,
the princess, his wife, said to him, “If your Lordship goes with me to Prince
- King Ping of Chu (r. 527–516 b c) intended to marry his son, Crown Prince Jian, with a
princess from Qin. The princess was so beautiful that King Ping decided to take her for him-
self. His ministers frightened the king into believing that his son might usurp the throne, and
his son fled to the Song court. So King Ping chose his underage son as his heir before
he died.