General Introduction (Ch’ongsŏ) 69
jailor arrested his son, Ch’ayak, and interrogated him, whipping him on the
back until he bled. T’aejo happened to be passing through a place called
Ihyŏn at that time. The jailor hid Ch’ayak in a house near the road, but the
latter pleaded in a loud voice, “Please help me, Your Honor.”
Surprised by the appeal for help, T’aejo summoned the jailor. He said,
“How can you force a son to tell you the whereabouts of his father?” Then
he immediately ordered his release and made one of his servants take
Ch’ayak home.
Later, T’aejo, joined by Chancellor Yi Im, spoke to the king: “Since Your
Majesty ascended the throne very recently, it is advisable for you to show
benevolence in your rule. We beg you to forgive Ch’ayak and others. Besides,
Sungin has taught the kings through his royal lectures for a long time. Please
let him continue to serve in the court.” As a result, Sungin was able to
finally come out from hiding.
[King] Ch’ang ordered T’aejo to carry a sword and wear his shoes when
he entered the royal palace to see him. The king also allowed T’aejo to
forego the ritual announcement of his name before having an audience with
him. [Along with these special privileges], the king bestowed on T’aejo 50
taels of silver, 10 p’ il of silk, and a horse, and issued a royal decree on his
outstanding services.
In the eleventh month, Kim Chŏ secretly had an audience with [King] U
in Hwangnyŏbu [modern Yŏju in Kyŏnggi Province], and U said, sobbing,
“Since you gave favors to Kwak Ch’ungbo before, I want you to plan with
him the removal of Yi [Sŏnggye]. Then my wish will be fulfilled.”
Chŏ visited Ch’ungbo and revealed his plan, and Ch’ungbo pretended to
go along. However, immediately afterward he ran to T’aejo and informed
him of Chŏ’s plot. T’aejo decided to arrest Chŏ and Chŏng Tŭkhu, [another
conspirator who joined Chŏ], who secretly stole into T’aejo’s residential
compound at night. When Tŭkhu was captured by T’aejo’s guards, he com-
mitted suicide by stabbing himself in the neck.
T’aejo had Chŏ locked up in the Capital Constabulary Prison (Sungunok),
and the ensuing investigation revealed that Pyŏn Annyŏl and others were
also involved in the conspiracy. The Censorate requested that Annyŏl be put
to death. Though T’aejo tried to have him spared, [King] Ch’ang would not
listen.
Our envoy Yun Sŭngsun and his entourage returned from their mission
to the Ming court. They had gone to China to request that [King Ch’ang] be
allowed to personally pay tribute to the Ming emperor. Receiving the orders