Book XIV 851minister of war (kunbu p’ansŏ), and in the Kyŏngo year (1390), he was
promoted to deputy director of the Security Council. In the Imsin year
(1392), King Kongyang, believing the slander about him, became suspi-
cious and jealous of him. When the situation became uncertain, His Maj-
esty [Yi Pangwŏn] summoned him and ordered him to secretly discuss the
matter of enthroning the king with those who regarded themselves as fol-
lowers of the king from the start.
After the king ascended the throne, Ŭn was appointed commissioner of
the Security Council and granted the title of Rising in Righteousness and
State- Assisting Dynasty- Founding Merit Subject (Pŭnŭi chwamyŏng kaeguk
kongsin). After serving at various posts, he eventually rose to the position
of assistant grand councilor of the Chancellery and, concurrently, director
of the Office of Personnel Appointments and Royal Seals, as well as mili-
tary commander of the Right Army. In the Chŏngch’uk year (1397), he was
enfeoffed as Lord of Ŭisŏng.
Nam Ŭn was by nature gallant and outstanding, disliked restriction, and
liked eccentric plans and strategies. He made major contributions to the
founding of the new dynasty, but, lacking learning and experience, he fell
for the scheme of Lady Kang, who deprived the king’s firstborn son of the
seat of crown prince [in order to make her son a rightful heir for succession].
As a result, together with Chŏng Tojŏn and others, he willfully attempted to
seize the reins of power after eliminating the members of the royal family.
He eventually failed and met with calamity, and his age at the time of his
death was forty- five. He had four sons, and they were Kyŏngsu, Kyŏngu,
Kyŏngbok, and Kyŏngji.
Sim Hyosaeng was a native of Puyu of Sunch’ŏn and the son of Innip, mag-
istrate of Kŭmju.^55 In the Kyŏngsin year (1380) during the reign of the false
king, he passed the National Academy examination, and in the Kyehae year
(1383) the civil service examination, winning second place in the ŭl cate-
gory (ŭlgwa). Starting his public career as chief clerk of the Security
Council, he became fourth inspector after spending many years at various
posts. Since his family has lived in Chŏnju for many generations, he became
a follower of the king from the start and eventually joined the rank and file
of the dynasty- founding merit subjects. While serving as second inspector,
he went out to serve as pacification commissioner of Kyŏngsang Province
- Kŭmsan, South Ch’ungch’ŏng Province.