Choe Yeong - Betrayal and Redemption

Betrayal and Redemption

Following a dream that he thought predicted that a Buddhist monk would save his life, King Gongmin promoted a monk named Shin Don to a lofty position within his court, and allowed him considerable influence. At first Shin Don toiled to improve the lives of the peasants with great opposition from the ministers. However with the king's support he grew increasingly ruthless and corrupt, and Choi who vigorously opposed corruption in the kingdom found himself at odds with him. Subsequently, Shin Don engineered false accusations of misconduct against Choi that resulted in a punishment of six years in exile, and brought him dangerously close to execution. However, when Shin Don died, Choi Young was restored to his previous position and was immediately asked to prepare a fleet to fight the Japanese pirates and eliminate the remaining Mongol forces on Jeju Island. He engaged the Mongols first, who fought tenaciously, but Choi's forces eventually freed the island. Then, in 1376, the Wokou pirates advanced into Goryeo and captured the city of Gongju. Jeong Mong-ju secured assistance from the Japanese Shogun to eliminate these pirates, but the Japanese were of little help. With the new gunpowder recipe obtained by scientist Choe Mu-seon from a Chinese merchant, General Choi Young and his subordinate Yi Seonggye managed to rout and eventually defeat the pirates and reclaim Gongju.