152 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
month, no one except the members of the Flourishing Righ teousness Royal
Guards, not to mention the royal guards of various security divisions (sŏngjung
aema), is permitted to escort you when you travel to the hot springs. If Your
Majesty always prefers to have simplicity and thus finds it too inconvenient to
bring many people with you, we request that you allow at least one member
each from the Council of Generals (Chungbang)^140 and the Comprehensive
Rites Office (T’ongnyemun),^141 respectively, as well as a historiographer, to
attend you during the royal trip so that your successors may not have excuses
for their thoughtless behavior.” The king followed the advice.The merit subjects, including Pae Kŭngnyŏm and Cho Chun, held a banquet
for the king, and their wives did so for the queen separately.The Office of Remonstrance and others submitted a memorial to the king:
“Yi Insu, discussant of the Central Council, has neither talent nor virtue and
knows only how to cook. At the time when the new dynasty started, he was
extremely fortunate that he managed to become a member of the Central
Council. Since the scholars are disappointed to learn of him, we urge you to
dismiss him from office and never call him back.”
The king called Yu Tumyŏng,^142 chief remonstrator (changmu nangsa),
and asked, “Who brought up this matter?” Tumyŏng replied, “I did because
I was an officer in charge.”
The king said, “Insu may be incompetent, but I neither entrusted him
with military power nor the power to handle government affairs. I just had
him take charge of the Royal Cuisine Office and at this time only attend me
during my trip to the hot springs. Never make such a request again.”20th Day (Kisa)
Yi Pangsŏk, the young illegitimate son [of the king’s second queen] was
chosen as heir apparent. Earlier, the merit subjects, including Pae Kŭngnyŏm,- A supreme military council established during the Koryŏ period in order to discuss the
military matters; it was a counterpart to the Privy Council (Todang) run by civil officials. (Lee
Ki-baek, p.117) - Also called Kangmun or Hammun, it was the office of ceremonies and rites, and its
responsibilities included the rites of the morning audience, the sacrifices to the Royal Ancestral
Shrine, and the receiving of envoys. - An official of early Chosŏn. He also served as supervisor of the Publications Office,
magistrate of Miryang, second inspector, and right grand master of remonstrance.