Book III 27922nd Day (Pyŏngsin)
In addition, the king ordered the following officials sent to the Capital Con-
stabulary Prison: Yi Hwang, left grand master of remonstrance; Min Yŏik,
right grand master of remonstrance; Chŏng T’ak, auxiliary remonstrator; Yi
Chigang, remonstrating censor; Yun Chang, right rectifier of omissions of
the State Finance Commission; Wang Pi, right reminder; Yi Sŏ, minister of
the Board of Punishments (Hyŏngjo chŏnsŏ); Cho Saŭi and Ch’oe Saŭi,
court gentlemen for consultation of the Criminal Administration Bureau in
the Board of Punishments; Min Sajŏng, assistant bureau section chief; Pak
P’o, concurrent second inspector; Chin Kyŏng and Yi Ch’i, inspectors of
miscellaneous affairs; Yu Sŏn, bailiff of the Office of the Inspector-General;
among others. Then the king ordered Chŏng Hŭigye, Nam Ŭn, Cho Ki, and
Hwang Hŭisŏk to interrogate the imprisoned officials.
Prior to this, the king said to Left Chancellor Cho Chun and Right Chan-
cellor Kim Sahyŏng: “To drive out or punish junior eunuchs (naesu) and royal
concubines is my private affair, which has little to do with the people outside.
Nevertheless, the Censorate and the Board of Punishments are now reckless
enough to discuss it publicly, and the people who have no business in the
matter will gather and talk about it, so it seems that what is happen ing is not just
accidental. I intend to have these people imprisoned and interrogated.”
Cho Chun and others withdrew from the king without replying and later
spoke to Yi Chik, chief royal secretary, “Since the Censorate and the Board
of Punishments have been regarded as important from ancient times because
they have taken charge of the discipline of the entire nation, if officials of
the two departments are all imprisoned, it will be a disgrace to the govern-
ment as a whole. Why don’t you speak to His Majesty and remind him of the
consequences that his action can bring about?”
Yi Chik spoke to the king, and he found his words reasonable. So he tried to
have only those who were directly responsible imprisoned. However, since
the royal order could affect the testimonies and depositions of individuals who
were involved, the king finally gave orders to have all of them imprisoned.
23rd Day (Chŏngyu)
Hong Po, Yi Su, Yun Chang, Chin Kyŏng, Yi Ch’i, Ch’oe Saŭi, Cho Saŭi, and
Wang Pi were exiled to their homes of origin; Yi Wŏn to Chungnim;^88 No- A village in Myŏnch’ŏn county in South Ch’ungch’ŏng province.