Yi Seulgi was the crown prince, Kang Seulki was his twin sister-things were supposed to be perfect, but the wrong twin survived. Now Kang Seulki is stuck pretending to be her brother, doing her best to keep the monarchy sovereign in Joseon in the fa...
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In historic Korea, each person, no matter the status was given a hopae—a medallion, seal, sign. Each hopae is unique to its owner—it is a rectangular shaped medallion made from precious metal and jewels and contained the bearer's name, age, date of birth, and status.
It was basically an identification card; this was a practice started by King Taejo—the hopae signified the rights and citizenship of the people of Joseon. King Taejo, considered as one of the greatest kings Joseon has ever had, started this practice for the lone purpose of being able to give his people a mark, making everything easy for the government to verify. Were you in need of rice rations? Show your Hopae and it would be given to you. You wanted to travel safely? Show your Hopae and a guard would accompany you. This system was started for the idea that through these medallions, the imperial government of Joseon can better serve its people.
Over the years, the hope of King Taejo has vanished... now the Hopae is used far from its fundamental purpose. What represented the rights of its people, now had Joseon scrambling—The selling of your Hopae is illegal, but that didn't stop the people from trading their medallion for food—what was supposed to be the civic duty of the Imperial family—is now an economic activity.
Today, people without Hopae can be treated worse than animals... which is why keeping your hopae safe and with you was important—because it was the criminals, the slaves, and the exiled that had no hopae. Which brings into question... why the citizens of Joseon are willing to trade their hopae...
But it all boils down to this simple statement; to be recognized and treated as a person, you had to have your hopae.
THE YI
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The current king, Yi Seunji actively fought against the powers that threatened the imperial family—both against foreign empires that sought to conquer Joseon and against domestic clans that lusted after the Royal family's seat.
It was said that one of the smartest moves of King Seunji in his effort of strengthening his rule, was to marry Kang Kiyeon, the daughter of the grand general. Marrying Kiyeon literally gave Seunji all the military power within Joseon. Everything was set, Seunji had the force to deal with any threat, along with the treasury of the royal family, so he needed heirs, fortunately within 2 years of Seunji and Kiyeon's marriage, the queen became pregnant with twins—Crown Prince Yi Seulgi and Princess Kang Seulki.
King Seunji's joy doubled at the news that his wife was not only pregnant with a crown prince but also of a princess—he now had an heir and a new bargaining chip. Surely, at his power, his rule is safe? It all seemed too good to be true.
Unfortunately for King Seunji, it was in fact, too good to be true... because on the night of his wife's delivery a great fire consumed his palace, a fire that took thousands of lives, the lives of his servants, allies, citizens... along with the life of his beloved wife, Kang Kiyeon and his precious firstborn son, Yi Seulgi. That left him with a useless infant for a princess.
Maybe it was the grief of losing his wife and son, his desperation of keeping his throne, or his lust for power that drove King Seunji to destroy Kang Seulki's hopae and replace it with Yi Seulgi's—thus giving his son's birth right to his daughter.
Maybe it was grief, desperation, or greed... that drove Yi Seunji to call his daughter, a son.
THE YEOMNA
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The promise of the Sept has other smaller clans and lowly citizens clinging to its name, and the strange thing about the Yeomna sept is that they accept your desire to be a part of their clan. They just have one strict condition, surrender your Hopae. Surrender your right to live and Yeomna will give you something better than freedom, you will never want for more. Give your Hopae and the Sept would protect you, provide for you... use you.
Which explains the power and loyalty Yeomna possessed, because they basically own each life that commits itself to the Yeomna name.
Money, power, influence, and the numbers... the Yeomna sept had it all—it may not be long before they take hold even of the king's Hopae and overpower the imperial family.
Hi everyone! I hope this new plot setting is to your liking! I just had to publish this! Please comment what you think about this! and the edits and plot are all mine.
Quick BG, i was actually writing my 2nd chapter for my other fic, Altar of the Monarchs, which was another Seulrene historical fic, but then I felt as if I was writing a completely different story--so I divided the plot into 2 historic AUs, and thus Jade Hope is born, hehe.
