Book IX 583ordered Saek to draft a royal decree proclaiming T’ak’s death. When Saek
asked the king to specify the crimes T’ak had committed, the king named
four. Saek replied, “The crimes you just mentioned are not the ones that
require capital punishment. Please reconsider!” Now, angrier still, the king
made him hurry to draft his royal decree. Then Saek said, “I would rather
die before fabricating crimes in my own hand.” King Kongmin finally real-
ized that he was wrong, and Saek managed to avoid death.
In the Sinhae year (1371), Saek’s mother passed away. The following year,
the king appointed Saek Chancellery scholar despite his still being in
mourning, but Saek declined the appointment on the pretext of being ill. In
the Kabin year (1374), King Kongmin passed away. Saek’s health deterio-
rated so seriously that he had to stay home for seven to eight years. In the
Imsul year (1382), [which was the eighth year of King U’s reign], he was
appointed director of the State Finance Commission.
In the Mujin year (1388), Ch’oe Yŏng made a request to attack Liaodong,
China. [King] U ordered the Bureau of Superannuation and the Two
Departments to discuss the matter to make a final decision. Many of those
who participated in the discussion advocated Yŏng’s idea because they
wanted to please the king. Saek also followed the general opinion, but when
he returned home, he said to his sons: “Today I allowed myself to be involved
in making a decision that is not right, and that was for your sake.” Later the
king [then general Yi Sŏnggye] marched back with his army. Then he drove
out Yŏng and others and made Saek chancellor.
After King Kongmin passed away, the emperor of Ming China repeat-
edly demanded that Chosŏn send the chancellor and other high officials to
attend the morning audiences at the imperial court, but no one dared to go
because they were afraid. When Saek became chancellor, he urged the
deposed king Ch’ang personally attend the morning audiences, and he him-
self volunteered to go to China with the purpose of making Ch’ang provi-
sional ruler (kamguk). Consequently, he was appointed New Year embassy
to China, and T’aejo [then general Yi Sŏnggye] said, “This old man is a man
of spirit.” As T’aejo’s dignity and reputation grew by the day and the hearts
of the people across the country turned to him, Saek was worried that there
might be some disturbances during his absence. So he requested that he be
allowed to take one of T’aejo’s sons with him on his diplomatic mission to
China. T’aejo had His Majesty [then Prince Chŏngan and later King
T’aejong] accompany Saek as secretary of his diplomatic mission.
Having already heard of Saek’s reputation, the emperor granted him an
audience and asked quietly, “Since you served as Hanlin academician in the