Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 128

Jjangra

Hello, Bomb

128. Civil Engineering

Five days after the decision to establish the Jeonjang [government-run shops aimed at stabilizing prices and preventing exploitation], a report reached Sejong.

“The Crown Prince is residing in the Historiography Office?”

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

“Why?”

Sejong expressed his doubt at the head eunuch’s reply, and the ministers tensed up.

‘What on earth is he planning now!’

‘What kind of trouble is he going to cause this time!’

‘Please, just don’t bring us more work! Please!’

As the ministers cursed, begged, and prayed inwardly, the head eunuch replied,

“According to the reports from the court eunuchs attending him, he finds the answers to Your Majesty’s commands to be somewhat lacking and is working to supplement them.”

“Haha! Truly the Crown Prince!”

At the head eunuch’s report, Sejong burst into laughter with a face full of admiration and pride, while the ministers squeezed their eyes shut and cursed inwardly.

‘Damn it!’

At the same time, in the Historiography Office, Hyang was sorting through documents and cursing.

“Damn it! The conclusion is still civil engineering!”

* * *

Five days after the head eunuch’s report, ten days later, Hyang appeared before Sejong.

“Father, I have brought the second plan for the royal decree you issued.”

At Hyang’s words, Sejong’s face lit up.

“I have been waiting. Announce it quickly.”

“Yes, Father.”

As Hyang walked to the center of the main hall, the ministers focused their attention on him.

“It has been a while since I have seen you all.”

After greeting the ministers lightly, Hyang cleared his throat and began.

“To fulfill the command that Father issued, the first thing I considered was the Jeonjang. I still believe that the Jeonjang is the best way to break the economic hold the local magnates have on the tenant farmers.”

At Hyang’s statement, Sejong and the ministers all shared the same question.

‘But what’s the problem?’

As if knowing their question, Hyang continued to speak.

“However, if only the Jeonjang is created, unexpected problems may arise.”

“What is this unexpected problem?”

Hyang answered Sejong’s question immediately.

“The problem of transportation.”

“Transportation?”

When Hyang mentioned the problem of transportation, Sejong and the ministers began to think carefully about why it was a problem.

The first to figure out the answer was, of course, Sejong.

“Indeed, that is so. The goods that the people need number in the hundreds, even thousands, but there are hardly any places where all those goods are produced. If the local magnates monopolize these goods, it could become another shackle.”

Hyang blinked, momentarily speechless at Sejong’s insight.

‘I didn’t even think of that?’

“Crown Prince?”

Hyang, who had frozen at the completely unexpected answer, quickly came to his senses at Sejong’s call and bowed his head.

“I am deeply sorry. I was momentarily flustered because you pointed out something I had not considered! I am simply in awe of your wisdom, Father!”

Sejong smiled at Hyang’s flattering remarks and replied,

“It was just good luck. Still, this father has lived more days than you, so I simply saw something you did not.”

At Sejong’s answer, the ministers looked like they were about to burst.

‘Then what are we!’

‘Damn it! If we’re just talking about age, he’s the same age as my grandson!’

‘Are you telling us to die!’

“Hmm? Why do you all look like that?”

At Sejong’s question, the ministers quickly composed themselves and bowed their heads.

“We were so impressed by Your Majesty’s wisdom that we momentarily lost our minds!”

“Your Majesty’s wisdom is the blessing of Joseon!”

The prime ministers, representing the ministers, poured out their praises, and Sejong replied with a slightly embarrassed face.

“Haha! As I said to the Crown Prince, it was just a bit of good luck. How could I compare to your knowledge and wisdom? There is such a difference in the number of days we have lived.”

“Those are excessive words!”

“We are overwhelmed!”

They all bowed their heads and answered Sejong’s words, but the ministers’ inner thoughts were complicated.

‘Was that a compliment?’

‘I don’t think it was a compliment…’

‘It sounds like he’s saying we can’t even do our age’s worth…’

No matter what the ministers thought inwardly, Sejong’s attention was focused on the Crown Prince.

“So… Crown Prince, what was the answer you had in mind?”

At Sejong’s question, Hyang explained the problems he had considered.

“As Father has said, not all goods come from one place. Therefore, we must bring the necessary goods from other places. However, if transportation is inconvenient, the quantity will inevitably be limited, and those far from the production areas will have to pay a high price to obtain the goods. If that happens, the tenant farmers with low incomes will have no choice but to borrow money from the local magnates again.”

The Minister of Justice asked a question.

“If there is a Jeonjang, would they borrow money from the local magnates?”

Minister of Personnel Heo Jo immediately answered the Minister of Justice’s question.

“Unless wealth pours out of the Jeonjang’s warehouse without limit, and as long as there is a limit to the property that can be used as collateral, unlimited loans are impossible.”

“Isn’t that the same for the local magnates?”

Heo Jo’s answer did not seem to clear the Minister of Justice’s confusion, and he asked again.

Kim Jeom shouted.

“Hey, Minister! The local magnates charge exorbitant interest rates when they lend money! Don’t you know the difference?”

“Ah…….”

At Kim Jeom’s rebuke, the Minister of Justice closed his mouth, embarrassed.

As the Minister of Justice shut his mouth, Hyang continued to speak.

“This is the first problem that will arise from limited transportation, and the next problem is communication. Urgent news such as droughts, floods, and epidemics will be reported late, leaving insufficient time to respond. Then the Jeonjang’s response will be delayed, and the people will be tied to the local magnates again.”

“I see.”

At Hyang’s words, Sejong and the ministers nodded.

Judging that Sejong and the ministers understood the problem, Hyang presented the solution he had come up with.

“Therefore, the solution I have come up with is to expand the roads throughout Joseon.”

At Hyang’s words, the Minister of Public Works immediately began to object.

“Road construction is already steadily underway.”

“That is true. However, it is a matter of duration and method. Looking at the current road construction situation, it begins after the harvest and enters winter, continuing for about five months until the end of the spring poverty season [a period of food scarcity before the new harvest]. Is that correct?”

“That is correct.”

“Since the construction is carried out in the middle of winter, a lot of labor is required, and progress is slow. Is that correct?”

“That is correct.”

The Minister of Public Works nodded at Hyang’s points. It was because Hyang’s words were correct.

Digging up the ground that had frozen solid in the cold of winter was an extremely difficult task. In 15th-century Joseon, without large civil engineering machines like those of the 21st century, all of this work had to be done with manpower and animal power.

Of course, most of the time, the situation was resolved by throwing more people at it.

As the Minister of Public Works continued to nod, Hyang pointed out the resulting problem.

“Like the construction of weirs and reservoirs, road construction began as a form of relief. However, if the Jeonjang takes hold, road construction for relief purposes must stop.”

Kim Jeom stepped forward at Hyang’s words.

“I understand what the Crown Prince is saying. However, the reason why construction was carried out during that period was not only for relief purposes but also because of the problem of securing manpower. It is because people cannot be spared during the farming season.”

“It is easier to spare people during the farming season.”

“Yes?”

“Hmm?”

The answer Hyang gave broke with conventional wisdom, so everyone from Sejong to the historians writing the historical records momentarily doubted their ears.

“Crown Prince, the reason why it is called the farming season is because people are busy with farming. How can it be easier to spare people?”

Hyang explained the reason at Sejong’s words.

“Because of the transplanting method, Father.”

“Transplanting method? Hmm… Wasn’t the transplanting method used to increase yields?”

Kim Jeom added to Sejong’s point.

“That is correct. Although the increase in yield was less than expected.”

Hyang took Kim Jeom’s point.

“Yes. The increase in yield was less than expected, so researchers and farmers are still working hard to research varieties that can increase yields. However, the number of farms using the transplanting method continues to increase. Is it not?”

Kim Jeom answered with an embarrassed face at Hyang’s pointing out.

“That is true. Although it was less than expected, it still increases by at least 10% even in the lowest quality barren land.”

As Kim Jeom said, the number of farms implementing the transplanting method was gradually increasing. This was because it allowed for at least a 10% increase in production compared to the existing direct seeding method.

Of course, in the highest quality fertile land, where ‘even spitting would bring a great harvest,’ there was an increase in yield of at least 80%.

Hyang explained another effect of the transplanting method.

“The ministers have only paid attention to the yield among the effects of the transplanting method and have not seen another effect.”

At Hyang’s words, Kim Jeom, who had been arguing against it until just now, showed strong interest. As the department in charge of handling money, he could not simply ignore it.

“What is this other effect?”

“Once the sowing season and transplanting season have passed, there is a surplus of labor until the harvest season.”

“Yes?”

Hyang explained the changes brought about by the transplanting method.

-The transplanting method, which involves transplanting seedlings that have grown to a certain extent, allows the rice to grow more strongly than the direct seeding method, as long as it can withstand the shock that occurs during the transplanting process.

-Due to the nature of the flooded rice paddies, the types of weeds that can grow are limited. Therefore, the number of weeding sessions and manpower can be greatly reduced.

-Therefore, if you exclude the process of sowing and growing the seedlings to grow them and the harvesting period, a considerable amount of manpower remains.

“…Let me give you an example. Two years ago, there was a report from Muan-hyeon [a district], Jeolla-do [a province]. At the time, the magistrate of Muan-hyeon reported that he was able to complete the maintenance before the rainy season because he had spare labor after the transplanting was completed in the process of repairing the roads.”

Sejong nodded as he recalled Hyang’s words.

“That’s right. I remember praising the magistrate at the time for handling it wisely and giving him a good evaluation. Indeed, indeed…….”

While Sejong was nodding, Kim Jeom and Hyang’s debate continued.

“Is the reason why the Crown Prince is suggesting to mobilize personnel during the farming season to carry out road construction?”

“It is not mobilization. Then we cannot break the link between the local magnates and the farmers. I am thinking of finding a merchant group that specializes only in road construction.”

“Then the expenditure of costs will increase more than necessary! It cannot be done!”

As Kim Jeom strongly opposed and raised his voice, Hyang’s voice also rose.

“The reason why I am trying to find a merchant group is not for the purpose of relief. It is for the purpose of the emergence of a professional group that makes civil engineering their livelihood!”

“Yes?”

Kim Jeom paused at the unexpected remark, and Heo Jo intervened.

“Is the Crown Prince trying to encourage the surplus manpower from the countryside to leave the village for work?”

“That’s exactly it!”

At Hyang’s strong affirmation, Heo Jo wore a troubled expression.

“However, I wonder if there will be that much manpower to leave…….”

As Heo Jo trailed off with a question, Hyang turned to Kim Jeom.

“Minister of Taxation! How much has the rural population increased now? No, how many fewer deaths are there?”

Kim Jeom answered immediately at Hyang’s question.

“The average number of deaths per year after the Gyeongjang [farmland redistribution policy] reform is about 60% compared to before the Gyeongjang.”

“Ah! That’s right!”

Sejong clapped his knees and exclaimed at Kim Jeom’s answer.

“I had forgotten too! With the inoculation of cowpox and the cultivation and distribution of medicinal herbs, the number of deaths has decreased a lot! It is my mistake! I cannot help but feel sorry for you all!”

As Sejong admitted his own mistake, the ministers denied it in unison.

“No, Your Majesty!”

“It is the mistake of us, your servants, who have not properly assisted Your Majesty! Please punish us!”

“Please punish us!”

The farce of each apologizing to the other ended, and Sejong turned to Hyang.

“I will think deeply about the policy you have spoken of.”

“Your grace is boundless!”

Hyang bowed deeply at Sejong’s decision.