Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 811

811. The Star Falls (5)

The content that froze Hyang was filling almost one-third of the 6th volume of Japsangrok [Miscellaneous Records, a collection of unusual or interesting facts and observations].

The content can be roughly summarized as follows:

– It is difficult to find the appearance of a grown person in their childhood. Of course, there are things that do not change throughout life, such as moles or the shape of the earlobes, but other appearances change significantly over time.

– Is it only humans who are like that? The same is true for animals and insects.

– This change is evident when examining the growth of insects, frogs, and fish.
Can you imagine a butterfly or moth with wings when you see a larva crawling around on the ground and trees, gnawing at leaves?

Can you imagine the appearance of a frog, toad, or narrow-mouthed toad when you see a tadpole swimming in the water?

– The same is true for plants. Can you imagine the appearance of a giant tree just by looking at the small cotyledons [seed leaves] sprouting from the ground?

– What is the reason for these changes in people, animals, insects, and trees? Isn’t there a law or reason that we don’t yet know?

– From ancient stories or those who believe in God, it is said that everything is according to the providence of the supreme God. However, believing this and moving on is not the duty of a Sadaebu [scholar-official in Joseon dynasty].

– Also, just as people change their appearance and behavior as they grow, isn’t the world also changing its appearance as it continues to grow? Then, will the world after hundreds or thousands of years be the same as it is now? Or, after an even longer time, a time that even ordinary people like me can’t imagine, will the people and all things that exist in the world be the same as they are now?

“Hoo~.”

Hyang sighed deeply after reading the content. Hyang, who was staring blankly at Japsangrok, suddenly burst into a burst of laughter.

“Abama [father, a respectful term for the King] is an ordinary person? Real commoners will curse if they hear that. They’ll get stoned….”

Hyang, who burst into laughter at Sejong calling himself an ordinary person, soon grabbed his head and fell into 고민 [worry, contemplation].

“But where do I assign this? There is no biology department in the research center… and considering the philosophical considerations that follow, the College of Liberal Arts cannot be excluded….”

Hyang, who was 고민 about which department and college to entrust it to, was able to make a decision with difficulty.

“I have no choice. Establish a biology department in the research center. The justification is to properly raise poultry and livestock, and to find ways to eliminate harmful animals and pests that harm people. Next… I’ll also hand it over to the College of Liberal Arts, and the grade is… I’ll have to create a new grade as well. Hmm… the name is….”

Hyang, who was 고민 about the name of the new grade, soon found a suitable name.

“Unprecedented… Unprecedented… Good! The grade is Imagination!”

In this way, a new department and a new grade were created. A grade higher than the existing Ugong Yisan [Extraordinary Merit, a high rank in the Joseon dynasty], which was the highest grade, was born.

There was a reason for Hyang’s decision to name it ‘Unprecedented.’

All of the things that have been registered as Ugong Yisan grade so far have been incredibly difficult. However, all of them had one foot on traditional knowledge that had been passed down from the past.

However, something like this Japsang, which is reminiscent of the theory of evolution, did not have such a foundation.

It was about creating concepts and theories completely from scratch.

Of course, there was a similar case with the heliocentric theory, but those who advocated the heliocentric theory had existed since ancient Greece.

It was a completely different case, so Hyang decided to create a new grade called ‘Unprecedented.’

After overcoming that hurdle, Hyang turned the page and sighed.

“Hoo~. It’s 산 넘어 산 [one mountain after another, meaning problems keep piling up].”

– I saw 51 artisans devising ways to make magnetite [a naturally magnetic mineral].

– Magnets are useful items, including compasses. But… (omitted)

“Let’s skip the prologue…”

What Hyang focused on was from then on.

– Magnets have positive and negative poles, and when different poles face each other, they stick together.

– But there is a characteristic when they stick together like this. A smaller magnet is dragged and sticks to a larger magnet. If the sizes are similar, they pull each other and stick together.

– Could it be that all things in the world are like that?

– Water flows from top to bottom, and a stone thrown upwards always falls to the ground.

– But isn’t this phenomenon happening because they are pulling each other? It’s just that this land is so big and heavy compared to all things in the world that everything falls to the ground, and people and animals all live with their feet on the ground, right?

“‘Newton’s Apple’ is not ‘The Emperor’s Magnet’?”

Hyang, who muttered with an absurd expression, soon determined the grade.

“The grade is Unprecedented, the difficulty is Imagination. The assignment is the Department of Physics and the Department of Industry. Hmm… Lee Soon-ji will be happy.”

Unlike the history before Hyang’s intervention, Lee Soon-ji was still alive and actively continuing his research activities.

“I think it’s thanks to doing a job that suits him perfectly….”

Hyang, who had memories of suffering from depression when he was forced to do a job that didn’t suit him when he was living in the 21st century, thought this was the reason why Lee Soon-ji’s lifespan had increased.

After that, several of Sejong’s 잡상 [miscellaneous thoughts] were recorded in Japsangrok Volume 6. However, they were either really simple 잡상 or not very difficult, so Hyang was able to finish organizing them easily.

“It’s not like 단짠단짠 [a popular Korean phrase referring to the perfect balance of sweet and salty]… no. Is it 짠짠단단 [salty, salty, sweet, sweet]?”

Leaving his impressions like that, Hyang, with a relieved expression, picked up Japsangrok Volume 7.

“Hoo-eup! Hoo….”

Hyang, holding Volume 7 in his hand, took a deep breath with a very nervous face.

“Was this a salt farm from the beginning?”

* * *

– A large, hard 거석 [large rock] breaks and becomes a rock, the rock breaks and becomes gravel, and the gravel breaks and becomes sand. And, if the sand is further ground, it becomes soil.

– Gravel or sand can know the original ore that is the basis. This is because the properties of the 원석 [original rock] remain.

– However, soil cannot know the original 원석 that is the basis. This is because it is too fine.

– Then, if we continue to break down all things into smaller pieces, will they lose their original nature at some point?

– Let’s take iron as an example. Iron sticks to magnets. Iron powder made by finely chopping and crushing a large iron lump also sticks to magnets. But if this iron powder is further ground and ground until it is barely visible to the eye, will it still stick to magnets?

– Then, how small is the size at which iron has the nature of iron? And what makes it maintain its nature until it reaches that size? Is it Gi [energy, life force]? Is it power?

– If what makes it maintain its nature is power or Gi, how powerful is it? And can people use that Gi or power?

Hyang, who had organized the content up to this point, grabbed his head and glared at Japsangrok.

‘Why is nuclear physics popping out here!’

“Hoo~.”

Hyang sighed deeply and came to a conclusion.

“The grade is Unprecedented Imagination. The 담당 [in charge] are the Department of Physics, the Department of Industry, the Department of Chemistry, the College of Engineering, and Area 51.”

* * *

After that, Hyang’s hardships continued.

– There is a saying, ‘You can’t steal 씨 [seed].’ ‘콩 심은 데 콩 나고 팥 심은 데 팥 난다 [You reap what you sow, literally: beans grow where beans are planted, and red beans grow where red beans are planted].’ Why? What’s the reason?

“Is it genetics this time? Ugong Yisan Upper-Middle-Upper. The assignment is the Department of Biology, the College of Medicine.”

– Usually, a boat floats on the water and moves. Can’t we make a boat that goes into the water? If you can go into the water, how do you breathe?

“Even a submarine? Ugong Yisan Upper-Middle-Middle… wait?”

Hyang, who was determining the grade, paused for a moment.

“Isn’t the grade too high for submarine development? Didn’t I just assign it out of habit?”

Hyang, who had doubts about his own judgment, stopped what he was doing and began to review it again. Hyang, who was writing down a list of technologies and scientific knowledge necessary for submarine development on a piece of paper placed on one side, nodded.

“I set the grade too low. Adjust to Ugong Yisan Upper-Middle-Upper….”

Hyang, who adjusted the grade, looked towards Suganggung [Sejong’s residence after abdication] and muttered.

“I would be even more excited about the future if you could live for just 10 more years… Of course, scholars will die from overwork….”

* * *

While Hyang and his brothers were working busily, a eunuch ran urgently from Suganggung.

“The Taesanghwang [King Sejong after abdication] is in critical condition!”

At the eunuch’s cry, Hyang 벌떡 [suddenly] stood up from his seat and shouted.

“This! He was healthy until this morning!”

“He suddenly lost his energy….”

“This!”

Hyang and his brothers hurriedly began running to Suganggung.

When Hyang and his brothers arrived at Suganggung, Sejong’s room was already full of people.

Starting with the Taehwangtaeh 후 [Queen Dowager] and the emperor, Wan, and the crown prince, Hyeon, even high-ranking officials stopped what they were doing and flocked to Sejong’s bedroom.

When Hyang and Hyang’s brothers arrived, those who had arrived earlier 분분히 [in succession] stood up from their seats, paid their respects, and made way.

Hyang, who was seated right next to the bed where Sejong was lying, called Sejong with a face full of sadness.

“Your Majesty….”

Sejong, who heard Hyang’s voice, 힘겹게 [with difficulty] opened his eyes and turned his head. Sejong, who saw Hyang, smiled faintly and opened his mouth.

“Have you come? I think it’s time to go.”

“No. You are just losing your energy now, so you will soon get up again.”

“No, I know my body well. It’s time to go now. Thank you for everything. I was able to achieve great things because Sanghwang [Hyang, as the former king] stood firm.”

“No. It was only possible because Your Majesty led us.”

“Thank you for saying that. There is a letter for Sanghwang in the 서탁 [desk]. Only Sanghwang should read it.”

“I will.”

“Can you lift me up for a moment?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Hyang personally supported Sejong. Sejong, who raised his body with Hyang’s support, looked at the people filling the room and opened his mouth.

“I was able to achieve great things thanks to your help. Thank you very much.”

“You are too kind.”

At Sejong’s words, Wan and the ministers bowed their heads and answered in unison. Sejong, who was looking at the ministers with a smile, looked at Wan and Hyeon.

“I have something to say to His Majesty and the Crown Prince. As I wrote on the main pillar of Geunjeongjeon [the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace], Sanghwang and I did our best and achieved results that we are not ashamed of. From now on, it is up to His Majesty and the Crown Prince, and their descendants who will follow, to protect this empire, so please do your best.”

“I will engrave it in my bones!”

Sejong, who then emphasized the harmony of the imperial family and loyalty to the emperor, lay down again.

“I have to go on a road I haven’t been able to go on. I’m getting curious?”

With those words, Sejong closed his eyes and never opened them again.

It was the moment when one of those who played the biggest role in changing the history of Joseon, no, the history of the world, disappeared into history.

Sejong’s death was not a simple death.

It was a signal that the generational change of the imperial power class had begun.

And it was announcing the end of a chapter in the revolutionary period that later historians called the ‘Great Leap Forward Period.’