The Last Imoogi

The Three-Year Drought

Current Period: Joseon Dynasty

Firecrackers lit up the sky and everyone was singing and dancing in merriment at the central square. The capital, Hanyang, was flourishing with decorations of all colors and forms, and foods and wine poured in nonstop. Everyone was having fun with their family and loved ones as they celebrate the new year!

But these were things of the the past.

What food and wine when not a single drop of rain had fallen from the sky for three years now? Spring season was fast approaching yet it seemed like it would skip to a dry summer soon. The wells have all dried up, there was nothing to harvest. Even the yangbans who had hoarded grains, were running out of stocks, what more the commoners and slaves all over the country?

People had been left dying because of starvation and dehydration. And the young Joseon King, Yi Sung, seemed like he had aged a lot over the three years of drought. His once handsome face became dull and his youthfulness, gone. Problems had been flooding his office day and night making him lose his appetite and become restless. He had summon everyone and ask to lay down their plans, but all had failed terribly.

One suggestion of the ministers that he despised the most was about his marriage. Hell, he still have a queen, and for two consecutive years, he had two other concubines, all because these foolish ministers would always urge him for marriage everytime their plans for the drought fails. They insisted that if he produces an heir, it might calm the heavens down. This time, the third year, he refused to listen to them.

The King currently was only twenty two years old, and though he was a capable young man, he was still quite inexperienced. His father had left the throne to him when he was sixteen and ever since, he carried the weight of the whole nation on his shoulders. He was quite good in politics and has a skill in archery, but no human was born perfect. He wasn't actually good with women.

Women, to him, were only hindrances so he never paid attention to them. He was a busy man afterall, and couldn't afford to be burdened by other trivial things. He was married to the crown princess, now the queen, at the age of twelve and their marriage and relationship was another story. A lot of women adored the King but no matter how many times they had thrown themselves at him, he wasn't the type to fall weak for them. He stayed very aloof and timid in the end. 

Well, perhaps it was because he took after his royal uncle who favored him since he was young. 

Unknown to others, this uncle was even the one who gave the young king his name Sung which means "successor" or "the one at the verge of winning". This uncle would still lovingly, or teasingly call the king "Mino" at times, the king's childhood name before he rose to the throne, which means "bright and good". The man though rarely seen, was a respected and prominent figure in Joseon despite not holding an official post and those who were blessed to see him described him close to an ethereal being. Aloof and cold, he gave an air of higher authority even more than the King himself, just like a celestial being who descended from heaven.

This said uncle was the previous king's youngest brother. He was a good adviser to the young King, his nephew, and he took care of him as he would of a son. But this uncle stayed away from the ministers and officials, away from the eyes of the people and lived in isolation, traveling far and wide and back and forth Ming and Joseon. He bridged the alliance of the two Kingdoms and would often times lead the army under the King's edict, to drive away Jurchens at the borders. Still he distanced himself from politics. As to why he never accepted any official post, the King couldn't understand why. His uncle will always remain a mystery.