Hanseong, the capital of Joseon.
Although the method of selecting the crown prince had not yet been officially announced, competition was already fierce beneath the surface.
One of the leading candidates, Heungseon Daewongun, had fled to Shanghai, but the others remained in Joseon.
Kim Jwa-geun had sent word urging restraint, but the Andong Kim clan was not a single unified entity. Not everyone would listen.
With both Kim Jwa-geun and Kim Heung-geun abroad, the Andong Kim clan was unusually disorganized.
At this moment, leadership fell to Kim Eung-geun, Minister of Works and elder brother of Kim Heung-geun.
Unlike the others, he had risen through family power rather than personal ability, and he saw this as an opportunity to prove himself.
If he could place the next king on the throne, he might surpass both Kim Jwa-geun and Kim Heung-geun in influence.
Since the Pungyang Jo clan was already moving, he had no choice but to act.
He quickly searched for a suitable candidate and, by fortune, found one.
On Ganghwa Island, a young man named Yi Won-beom, grandson of a royal relative, lived as a commoner cutting wood.
When unfamiliar figures suddenly appeared, he was startled.
He had been exiled there with his brother after being implicated in a failed plot involving his elder brother.
He had committed no crime, yet lived in obscurity.
Then he heard their proposal.
"You want me to become a candidate for crown prince?"
"Yes. You are qualified."
"I am not even formally recognized as a royal relative. I have no title."
"You are among the closest blood relatives to His Majesty. With our support, your status can be restored. That would make you a strong candidate."
The explanation clarified the situation, but it still felt absurd.
"I have lived my entire life cutting wood. How could I become king?"
"Bloodline is the greatest qualification. And you understand the lives of the people better than anyone."
He glanced at his brother, who looked equally shaken.
"…If I accept, can we leave exile and return to Hanseong?"
"Of course."
Refusal was not truly an option.
Having long understood the nature of power, Cheoljong of Joseon slowly nodded, as if compelled by fate.
At the same time, the Pungyang Jo clan advanced their own candidate.
A child of about ten years old, Gyeongwon-gun Yi Ha-jeon.
Though distantly related, he had one key advantage.
"All other candidates are of higher generation than His Majesty. Only he belongs to the correct generation to be adopted."
"Still, he is very young…"
"That is not a disadvantage. He can be educated as crown prince."
Confident in their reasoning, the Pungyang Jo clan pushed forward.
Thus, the succession struggle began to resemble a proxy war between the great clans, rather than the king's intended reform.
Across East Asia, events intertwined into a complex and volatile situation.
At the center was the Taiping conflict, directly connected to Shanghai.
It had grown too large for Qing to handle alone, yet it was also burdensome for Britain to intervene alone.
The solution, as always, lay in using allied powers to share the burden.
But allowing France or Prussia to gain influence in Qing was undesirable.
The balance had to be carefully managed.
Meanwhile, news arrived that the Joseon king was preparing to abdicate.
That mattered less than one key fact.
I would now have influence over the selection of the next king.
I had expected to be consulted, but not to this extent.
And the one who came to formally convey the request was—
"It's been a while. I am glad to see you again, Heungseon Daewongun."
"It is an honor to meet you again, Your Highness."
Seeing him bow so deeply in Shanghai felt unfamiliar.
"His Majesty has decided to abdicate."
"Yes. His health has deteriorated."
"A pity. He was a capable ruler."
"He will continue to advise as King Emeritus."
"I see."
Then came the main point.
"His Majesty wishes for Your Highness to take part in selecting the successor."
"Not merely approving a candidate, but influencing the selection itself?"
"Yes. Your recommendation will be seriously considered."
So I was to act as a judge in this selection.
"Will there not be opposition?"
"It will be suppressed. The State Council has already agreed."
"I see. And the candidates?"
"The Andong Kim clan supports Yi Won-beom. The Pungyang Jo clan supports Gyeongwon-gun. There are others, including a faction backing Ikpyeong-gun."
At least three candidates.
But the main contenders were clear.
"Interesting. I would have expected Kim Jwa-geun to support you."
"He is too far away to respond quickly."
"That makes sense."
From a strategic perspective, placing a cooperative ruler in Joseon would be highly beneficial.
It would also help counterbalance Qing and extend influence toward Japan and Ryukyu.
I looked at Heungseon Daewongun, who watched me carefully.
He had said nothing about himself.
But that silence revealed enough.
He was calculating.
A capable man, with both intelligence and decisiveness.
And importantly, he was not backed by either dominant clan.
That alone made him valuable.
I placed a teacup in front of him and spoke casually.
"Tell me, do you have the ambition to become king of Joseon?"
"…Pardon?"
His expression froze.
That alone was answer enough.