Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 758

758. Encounter (3)

Although the ‘small population’ constraint prevented Shinji’s imperialization from accelerating rapidly, the number of imperial territories and indigenous people returning to the fold steadily increased.

The number of imperial citizens immigrating from the mainland was also increasing, leading to an optimistic atmosphere among Hyang and the Shinji administrative officials.

* * *

After Shinji was discovered and the bridgehead was successfully established, along with the crossing to Shinji’s eastern coast, Sejong began promoting the immigration of imperial citizens.

The primary targets for immigration, as chosen by Sejong and Hyang, were farmers.

“Officials and soldiers have gone, of course, as well as artisans to run the 52nd District. And we plan to set up monopoly offices. But the natives alone won’t be able to become self-sufficient, will they?”

Hyang immediately agreed with Sejong’s assessment.

“That’s right. According to the report, we can’t expect a large yield with the natives’ farming methods.”

“I agree. I still don’t know the full extent of Shinji’s potential, but even if we just farm properly on that vast land, the output would be enormous.”

Hyang muttered inwardly at Sejong’s words.

‘Potential? This land is practically a cheat code! Of course, even just farming would make us a top 3 contender.’

Due to Sejong’s decision, most of the imperial citizens who immigrated to Shinji in the early days were farmers.

Sejong and Hyang decided that ‘word of mouth’ would be the most effective way to encourage imperial citizens to move to Shinji.

“Wouldn’t it be more efficient to resettle people, like we’ve done in the past?”

The ministers advised, but Sejong pointed out the disadvantages of forced migration.

“In the case of the Northeast region, it’s connected by land, even if it is far away. Daesul Island requires crossing the sea, but it’s not that far either. But Shinji is different, isn’t it? If we forcibly transplant people through resettlement, their morale will be terrible, and the disadvantages will outweigh the advantages.”

As soon as Sejong finished speaking, Hyang continued.

“And, we have to offer something in return to promote resettlement. Of course, giving them vast farmland can be seen as compensation, but isn’t that a given? In the past, we offered pardons or manumission [freeing a slave], but it’s difficult to do that these days, isn’t it?”

The ministers nodded involuntarily at Hyang’s point.

Resettlement was never ideal. People had to leave their beloved hometowns and go to unfamiliar and desolate places.

And the land they received in return was also a problem. Compared to the small plots they farmed in their hometowns, they received incredibly vast lands, but they were lands that had to be cleared for farming.

Therefore, resettlement was generally carried out forcibly.

Although it was carried out forcibly, there were certain criteria.

-Criminals who have not committed serious crimes such as murder or robbery.

-Government-owned slaves and their families who sold themselves due to poverty.

Those whose situations were urgent were given priority for resettlement.

Because those people would desperately cultivate the land and take root.

However, as the economy grew and military power expanded, public order was stabilized.

And, as a result of the tax reform, the number of government-owned slaves decreased to near extinction.

Hyang pointed out this part.

“Most of those remaining are government-owned slaves, and the majority of these government-owned slaves are those who committed treason and those implicated in it. Should we send them?”

At Hyang’s question, the ministers all shook their heads.

“Absolutely not!”

“We cannot turn the newly acquired Shinji into a land of treason!”

The ministers who had been advocating for resettlement immediately retracted their opinions. Seeing this, Hyang slyly turned his head and looked at Sejong above the shrine. Sejong smiled and nodded at Hyang.

* * *

As the policy was decided, official gazettes were posted on the walls of government offices throughout Joseon.

-We have secured a new territory east of Daesul Island.

-We are recruiting those who wish to immigrate to this new territory.

-Farmers preferred.

The people who saw the gazettes talked about it, and rumors began to spread.

-The land we received in the Northeast region was vast, but compared to the land we can receive in Shinji, it’s just the front yard.

-Of course, we have to clear it, but the soil is incredibly good.

“The land we received when we resettled in the Northeast region was also incredibly vast, but compared to Shinji, it’s just the front yard? And it’s fertile land? Then I have to go!”

The farmers in the Northeast region, who had already benefited from the development of the Northeast region, began to move first. And, those who harbored ambitions to become rich through farming began to move one by one.

And, the real estate market in Joseon began to fluctuate.

This was because the farmers who decided to immigrate sold their farmland and houses. Of course, the ownership of the land itself belonged to the King, so what they sold were cultivation rights and lease rights.

“It’s a good opportunity for me, so I bought it right away, but Chilseong, are you really going to go?”

In a conversation that followed after the contract was completed at the marketplace, Chilseong, a prospective immigrant, nodded with a confident face.

“I sold it because I’m really going!”

“Of course, having the cultivation rights to a land that is much larger than here is a good thing, but farming is not easy, is it? The problem will be finding labor right away, won’t it?”

At the neighbor’s point, Chilseong raised his hand and pointed towards the monopoly office.

“Isn’t there something good over there?”

In the direction Chilseong pointed, a tractor equipped with a steam engine was showing off its beauty.

* * *

As agricultural steam tractors were stably produced in the 52nd District, the number of immigrants coming from the Empire began to increase slowly but rapidly.

Sejong, who was managing Shinji, created policies and laws related to distributing land to these immigrants.

According to the policies and laws created by Sejong, the land that the immigrants would obtain was land outside the natives’ cultivated land.

-It needs to be cleared, but there is an incredibly vast amount of land all around. Why would we take away the natives’ land and cause conflict?

No one dared to object to Sejong’s words in this situation.

Although the criteria for land distribution were set, the task of persuading the natives remained.

The problem was not with farmland but with hunting.

The natives had no complaints regarding farmland preservation. The problem was hunting. Most of the land distributed to the immigrants overlapped with the natives’ hunting grounds.

“Well, hunting isn’t possible in a narrow place….”

Understanding the natives’ complaints, Sejong offered them an alternative. What Sejong offered was livestock (the representative six animals raised at home: cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, dogs, and chickens).

-If you raise these livestock, you can obtain abundant meat without the trouble of hunting bison or deer.

The natives were skeptical of Sejong’s proposal. However, as they watched the immigrant neighbors raise these livestock and easily obtain meat, they accepted Sejong’s proposal.

As a byproduct of this change, Sejong created the first animal protection zone.

* * *

There were a huge number of bison and deer in the land to be given to the immigrants.

Large-scale hunting of these bison and deer occurred to secure land, and the natives who had returned to the fold raised objections.

-Bison and deer have lived here since our ancestors lived. Some tribes even believe that when an ancestor dies, their soul is reborn as a bison or deer. It is not right to kill them indiscriminately. Some tribes are even hostile to us because of it.

At the natives’ point, Sejong put into practice what he had been thinking about for a long time.

“Really? Then, shouldn’t we create a place where bison and deer can live without worrying about hunting? The land is vast, so what’s the worry?”

After making the decision, Sejong soon chose a suitable land and designated it as a ‘hunting ban area.’

The officials who saw the size of the area chosen by Sejong and Hyang, who later confirmed it in a report, shook their heads.

“The area of the hunting ban area is larger than the combined area of Hasamdo (Gyeongsang, Jeolla, Chungcheong provinces), and there is a possibility that several more will be created in the future?”

* * *

While Hyang was managing Shinji on behalf of Sejong, some changes occurred in this hunting ban area.

“There are too many bison and deer in the hunting ban area? And poachers are roaming around?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm….”

After pondering for a moment, Hyang ordered the official.

“Tell Duke Jinpyeong to come.”

“Yes.”

A few days later, Jinpyeong, who had received Hyang’s order, entered the Haenggung Palace [a detached palace or villa].

“Your Majesty, did you call me?”

“I called you because there is something to do related to the railroad that the Duke is building.”

At Hyang’s words, Jinpyeong’s face became tense.

“Wh, what is it?”

“How is the expansion work of the railroad going from Chosi to here?”

“It is progressing smoothly.”

“Then, you will now build a railroad that will traverse east and west from the south, right?”

“Yes. I am preparing now.”

“Then make that route pass through the hunting ban area.”

“Yes?”

Hyang explained his thoughts to Jinpyeong, who was making a puzzled expression.

While listening to Hyang’s story, Jinpyeong finally understood.

“So, you are saying that you will open the hunting ban area for a limited time and allow hunting?”

Hyang nodded at Jinpyeong’s words.

“That’s right. That way, we can prevent the bison and deer from increasing excessively, and we can also deter poachers. Should we call it a limited hunting area instead of a hunting ban area?”

Jinpyeong nodded at Hyang’s words.

“I understand. However, if you change the route like that, the construction cost will increase.”

“We will collect fees from those who hunt in the limited hunting area to cover that part.”

“Ah….”

Jinpyeong muttered inwardly at Hyang’s words.

‘As expected, Brother! You never do anything that loses money!’

In this way, one of Shinji’s famous tourist attractions was born.

* * *

Through various trials and errors and adjustments, Shinji was steadily being imperialized.

Seeing the farmers who immigrated from the Empire using cattle, horses, and steam tractors to cultivate vast areas, the natives also began to use cattle, horses, and steam tractors to farm on the farmland owned by the tribe.

Those among the natives who benefited from this process and were quick-witted immediately went to the Empire’s government office and demanded their own farmland.

“Hmm… Since the current farmland is owned by the entire tribe, we cannot give you separate cultivation rights….”

The official pointed to a place on the map and continued.

“There is a suitable place here, far from the tribe you currently live in. However, as I said, it is far from the tribe you currently live in. Would you still like to go?”

The native pondered for a long time at the official’s words and nodded.

“I will go.”

In this way, Shinji’s land began to be developed step by step.

And, Hyang, who received the report, muttered to himself.

“Is this a ‘Far and Away’ [1992 American historical romantic adventure film] where Uncle Tom and other white people don’t appear at all?”

Hyang, who was thinking of a movie related to the Western development, burst into laughter.

“What does it matter? The people who live on this land are developing it themselves.”