Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 149

Jjangra [onomatopoeia, mimicking a sword being swung]

Heloam [onomatopoeia, mimicking a sword being swung]

149. That Autumn (4)

“I’m back.”

Kim Jong-seo, returning to the Pioneer Corps headquarters, went straight to Hwanghee’s office to announce his return.

Hwanghee, who was buried under a mountain of documents, looked up at Kim Jong-seo and said,

“Good, good. I brought you here to wield a brush, but you’re out there swinging a sword?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Never mind. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No.”

“Then go wash up, change, and get to work.”

“Um… Could I have just one day off today?”

At Hwanghee’s command, Kim Jong-seo requested a break. Hwanghee leaned back in his chair and glared at him.

“Did I order you to wander around and swing your sword like that?”

“No, but…”

“You were always singing about going back to Hanseong [historical name for Seoul] within five years, weren’t you?”

“…I’ll get to work right away.”

Kim Jong-seo immediately backed down at Hwanghee’s words.

“Ah, the ones who went to Musan…”

“They already returned the day before yesterday. The census register and land register have all been checked and approved.”

“Yes…”

Kim Jong-seo, who was trying to get away easily using ‘Musan’ as an excuse, couldn’t hide his disappointment. Hwanghee added curtly, “I’ve put the things that need to be dealt with right away on your desk, so take care of them immediately.”

“…Yes.”

“Within five years…”

“I’m going, I’m going!”

* * *

As Hwanghee formed the Pioneer Corps, Kim Jong-seo naturally became the second-in-command.

It wasn’t that Kim Jong-seo was in the second-in-command position from the beginning. When Hwanghee first appointed people, there were several others with similar experience and rank to Kim Jong-seo.

Among these people, Kim Jong-seo stood out because he was the first to give a satisfactory answer to the problem that Hwanghee presented.

Thanks to this, by the time the Pioneer Corps, which had arrived in the Northeast region, began its full-scale work, Kim Jong-seo had established himself as the undisputed second-in-command.

As the Northeast Pioneer Corps began to move in earnest, those whom Hwanghee had initially selected and worked with organized the basic administrative structure. Once the administrative districts were completed, they sent local officials from Hanseong or appointed the chieftains of the naturalized Jurchens [a Tungistic people who lived in the northeastern part of China] as local officials to stabilize the administrative organization.

As the Northeast development progressed, Kim Jong-seo constantly urged the officials of the Pioneer Corps.

“From what I see, the complete annexation of the Tumen River area, which is the primary goal, will be completed in five years. In just five years, I’ll be leaving this wretched place and returning to Hanseong!

If it’s even a day late from those five years? I’ll die, and so will you all! So, you all better be on your toes!

If you do the data investigation wrong and have to start over from the beginning? You’re dead.

If you make a mistake in writing the document and are late for the approval time? You’re screwed.

If you lose or damage the documents you’ve worked so hard to create and have to rewrite them? I’ll cut off your air supply! Do you understand?”

“Yes!”

The officials immediately answered Kim Jong-seo’s threats, who did not hide his extreme ‘Hanseong love’.

For the officials, returning to Hanseong early was what they wanted. They were all people who had been selected from the Hanseong court. Their families and acquaintances were all in Hanseong.

* * *

As things turned out, Hwanghee and Kim Jong-seo’s positions became ‘mother-in-law and daughter-in-law’ to the officials of the Pioneer Corps [a common Korean analogy for a difficult relationship where one person is constantly nagging the other].

Thanks to this, the officials were relieved and secretly enjoyed it every time Kim Jong-seo was scolded by Hwanghee.

“Lord! Why do you only scold me?”

As the days of being scolded continued, Kim Jong-seo questioned Hwanghee. Hwanghee answered simply to Kim Jong-seo’s question.

“Because you’re the administrative vice-captain.”

“Yes?”

“When there’s a problem with the documents coming up from below, should I chase after them and scold them one by one? It’s your job to check whether there’s a problem or not and reduce my work. Conversely, it’s also your job to find the right person to pass on the work I give.”

Kim Jong-seo closed his mouth at Hwanghee’s point, because it was true.

“But why me?”

“Because you’re good at your job.”

“I don’t think that’s a compliment.”

“That’s right. But it will be a good experience for you. Who knows? Maybe after I die, you’ll be in my position?”

At Hwanghee’s words, Kim Jong-seo unknowingly revealed his inner thoughts.

“I think I’ll die before that?”

“Shut up! Go out and work!”

Kim Jong-seo, who was kicked out by Hwanghee, grumbled incessantly.

“Why does this old man look healthier since he came here?”

As Kim Jong-seo complained, he saw Hwanghee’s servant brewing medicine and grumbled again.

“Damn tonic.”

* * *

Recently, the Chief State Councilor and Ministers of Hanseong had been steadily sending tonics [traditional Korean herbal medicine] to Hwanghee.

“The friendship between the lords is truly wonderful to see.”

As Kim Jong-seo envied, looking at the tonics wrapped in silk cloths, Hwanghee grumbled.

“Friendship my ass…. It means to take medicine and endure, so work in good health until you die. That’s not a gift, it’s poison, poison!”

“Then I’ll take that poison instead…”

“Tsk! Go to work!”

Hwanghee made sure to take the tonics every time they came, whether they were an expression of friendship or malice.

Whether the tonic worked well or not, Hwanghee flew around with a healthy complexion.

It was so well that rumors spread among the female entertainers in various government offices in Hamgil-do, including Gilju.

‘Lord Hwang is aging in reverse!’

* * *

After washing away the dust and fatigue from his body with a bath and changing into his official uniform, Kim Jong-seo returned to his office.

“Hoo~.”

Kim Jong-seo sighed as he looked at the piles of documents stacked on his desk. Kim Jong-seo, who was sitting in his chair and staring blankly at the piles of documents, muttered softly.

“Lord’s position….”

It would be a lie if he wasn’t tempted by Hwanghee’s words. As an official who had entered service and risen in rank, it was the dream of all officials to rise to the position of Chief State Councilor or Minister and be called ‘Lord’.

“So that’s why he dragged me around so much?”

Working in the Northeast development area was incredibly labor-intensive and stressful. Therefore, Hwanghee set a rotation for the officials working in the Pioneer Corps and sent them on a ten-day vacation each time he sent the monthly regular report.

Considering the time it took to travel back and forth from the development area to Hanseong, even a ten-day vacation meant that the time spent at home was only two or three days at most. Therefore, the officials who received the vacation rode their horses to the death [rode their horses as fast as possible]. Sometimes, the cavalrymen transporting the reports lagged behind the officials.

The good thing about the officials belonging to the Pioneer Corps was that they could obtain high-quality horses at a low price compared to those working in Hanseong.

As befitting the Northeast region, which was described as ‘overflowing with good fighters and horses, lacking everything else,’ there were many strong and fast horses raised by the Jurchens. Thanks to this, the officials were able to return to Hanseong in a short time without relying on relay stations.

* * *

Of course, Kim Jong-seo did not receive such vacations.

“Lord! Why not me!”

“You son of a bitch! I told you, you’re going with me even if you die!”

Kim Jong-seo only went to Hanseong with Hwanghee when there was a quarterly report that Hwanghee reported directly to Sejong [the fourth king of the Joseon dynasty of Korea].

Even when he returned to Hanseong, Kim Jong-seo could not enjoy the ‘Hanseong life’. He had to stand before Sejong with Hwanghee and proceed with the report, and when he left the court, he had to go to a gibang [Korean traditional house of courtesans] with Hwanghee instead of going home.

In the gibang, there were other Chief State Councilors and Ministers, as well as those with ranks similar to Kim Jong-seo.

Although they gathered in one room, the Chief State Councilors and Ministers gathered among themselves to share drinks and stories, and Kim Jong-seo sat with those who seemed to be in a similar situation to him.

“What is this supposed to be….”

The person sitting across from Kim Jong-seo spoke with a similar expression to Kim Jong-seo’s grumbling.

“Administrative Vice-Captain Kim Jong-seo was dragged here too?”

“That’s right. Your name is….”

As Kim Jong-seo carefully opened his mouth, the man sitting across from him smiled and replied.

“How rude of me! I’m sorry! My name is Hwangbo-in! I’m currently being dragged around by the Minister of Justice over there.”

Kim Jong-seo also smiled and replied to Hwangbo-in’s words.

“As you know, my name is Kim Jong-seo. I’m currently being dragged around by Lord Hwanghee over there with a leash around my neck.”

Starting with the conversation between Kim Jong-seo and Hwangbo-in, they began to introduce themselves.

The age range varied from the 20s to the 40s, but their ranks were all similar.

However, there was one major commonality. All those who had been dragged here were being harassed by the old geezers laughing and talking over there.

At some point, these people who had gathered together began to unite and laugh and talk. There were gisaengs [Korean female entertainers, similar to geishas] next to them, but perhaps because of the sense of camaraderie that they were suffering in similar ranks, they quickly became close friends, calling each other brothers.

“It’s truly wonderful to see.”

“That’s right.”

The Chief State Councilors and Ministers, who were talking at the head table, smiled as they watched the scene. Kim Jeom brought the glass filled by the gisaeng next to him to his mouth and said.

“In 10 years at the earliest, 20 years at the latest. At that time, they will be filling the royal court and being harassed by the King.”

“That’s right.”

The other ministers nodded at Kim Jeom’s words and emptied their glasses. Their faces were filled with various emotions as they emptied their glasses.

“We’re really getting old.”

“We’re old.”

“It was truly a tumultuous life.”

Like Maeng Sa-seong’s words, their lives were truly tumultuous.

They were the ones who had overcome the crisis with their whole bodies at the center of all the major and minor events, such as the change of dynasties from Goryeo to Joseon and the strife between princes.

“We have traces of Goryeo left, but they won’t have those traces.”

“They will be proper Joseon officials from the start.”

Amidst the conversation with expressions of detachment from life, Heo Jo joked with Hwanghee.

“Of course, Lord Hwang is suffering with them, but…”

The other ministers burst into laughter at Heo Jo’s words.

“Suffer, Lord Hwang.”

“I make sure to take my tonic regularly.”

Hwanghee smiled and accepted the joke in response to the ministers’ jokes.

“Do you know what’s common in the Northeast region? Sea dog penises, deer antlers, and musk from east of the Tumen River. I’ll send them according to the number of heads I have. Since we’re aging together anyway, wouldn’t it be nice to go together when we go?” [a euphemism for dying]

Hwanghee had knocked out the ministers with a single blow.

* * *

“Hmm… Lord’s position….”

Kim Jong-seo, who was constantly muttering the word ‘Lord’, shook his head, recalling the sparkling faces of Hwanghee and the ministers.

“They’re all aging in reverse… What kind of medicine are they taking… I wonder if there will only be old monsters in the royal court later….”

Kim Jong-seo, recalling the appearance of the ministers who had been rejuvenated by the ‘rejuvenation blooming between the tonics coming and going’, recalled his acquaintance whom he had met at the drinking party.

“Hwangbo-in, I wonder how this friend is doing?”

“Sir! The Lord tells you to quickly process the documents and send them!”

“Alright!”

Kim Jong-seo, who came to his senses at the servant’s urging from outside the door, hurriedly opened the documents.

* * *

The report on ‘the ministers and the pitiful people being dragged around by them’ was immediately sent to Sejong through Geomgye.

“Hoo~. Look at this?”

Sejong, who had received the report after sending all the historians out for the reason of sleeping, sparkled his eyes.

‘The Chief State Councilors and Ministers’ eyes are more discerning than anyone else’s. But they drag them to gibangs even though they’re not related by blood? Hoo….’

“Shall I call them?”

Sejong, who spat out the words to himself, soon shook his head.

“No, no. Geomgye might be exposed if I do something wrong.”

Sejong, who made the judgment that the disadvantages could be greater than the advantages, soon gave up.

Sejong, who put the report in the secret space, took out the books on phonology from next to it.

“Let’s see…. What I’ve been thinking about so far….”