Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 845

845. The Empire’s Daily Life (4)

“Indeed, they are a people who would be lost without music and dance.”

As Hyang muttered to himself, he observed how deeply the people of the Empire enjoyed music and dance.

It was, in essence, human nature.

As the Empire’s economy flourished, the lives of its citizens became increasingly prosperous. This prosperity, in turn, fueled greater spending on leisure activities like music and dance.

Of course, the gap between the rich and poor persisted, and many still struggled to make ends meet.

For the emperors of the Empire, and even the kings of Joseon [the last dynastic kingdom of Korea] before them, this problem was a constant and difficult challenge.

It was a deeply ingrained issue that every Eastern monarch had to confront.

In Western political history, particularly in Europe, the traditional roles of the state and monarch centered on diplomacy, national defense, and maintaining public order.

However, in the East, ‘economy’ was added to that list.

The ‘Yao and Shun era’ [a mythical golden age of benevolent rule in ancient China] and the ‘Gyeok Yang Ga (擊壤歌)’ [an ancient Chinese folk song symbolizing peace and prosperity], both symbols of a peaceful and prosperous time, emphasized that ‘No one should go hungry.’

Therefore, Sejong [a famous king of Joseon], as well as Hyang, who had essentially opened the doors of the Empire, dedicated significant effort to resolving this issue.

* * *

“There is a saying that even a king cannot eradicate poverty entirely.”

The ministers all nodded in agreement with Hyang’s statement. Seeing their reaction, Hyang continued.

“But the problem is that a monarch cannot simply stand idly by. It is a truly difficult challenge.”

At Hyang’s lament, the ministers bowed their heads in unison and said.

“We, your subjects, are incompetent and unable to alleviate Your Majesty’s worries. We are truly sorry!”

“We are truly sorry!”

Huang smiled slightly at their words and responded.

“If you say you are incompetent, many will lose heart, so let’s not say such things. Even if it is a difficult challenge, if we work diligently, a better day will eventually come, won’t it?”

“We will do our best!”

While recording the somewhat heartwarming exchange between Hyang and the ministers, the historian added the following.

-…As the Emperor worried about the people, the ministers asked for forgiveness, and the Emperor encouraged them instead of blaming them. The interaction between the Emperor and the ministers was pleasant to witness.

The historian then thought to himself.

As the Emperor urges us to work harder, it seems like it’s going to be another night of overtime.

* * *

In any case, Hyang and the Imperial Court did their utmost to reduce poverty.

After introducing various experimental policies, they implemented a thorough verification process. Many policies were then refined or discarded based on this verification, gradually improving the Empire’s economy.

The officials most actively involved in this process were those from the National Tax Service and the managers of the Imperial Bank.

-Taxation that all citizens can accept

This was the motto of the National Tax Service. However, the officials, regardless of their rank, often grumbled quietly whenever they saw the plaque with those words.

“It should be taxation that *no* citizens can accept.”

“Greed is….”

The people’s reactions to paying taxes were largely the same, regardless of their wealth.

-I pay this much, so why do those guys pay so little? It’s unfair!

Even while grumbling, the people diligently paid their taxes. This was because the tax rates and items were all transparent, and citizens could file complaints and request verification if they had objections.

Hyang and the court’s efforts didn’t stop there.

-If you do not resort to illegal methods, the Empire will not hinder your path to wealth. It does not discriminate based on education level, age, or gender.

-If you have promising plans and the will to succeed, but lack resources, seek assistance from the court! The court will help!

-However, this assistance is limited to those who comply with the laws of the Empire and pay the prescribed taxes.

In this way, the Emperor and the court motivated the people of the Empire.

Thanks to this active support, many people were encouraged to start their own businesses.

To further assist them, the Empire actively utilized the Imperial Bank and investment funds, leading to the growth of the Empire’s capital market.

Of course, where there is light, there is also darkness, and some individuals resorted to illegal methods. However, the officials of the National Tax Service, trained by Hyang, were not easily deceived, and these individuals ultimately faced ruin.

“This isn’t the 21st century.”

Hyang, having witnessed all sorts of schemes in the 21st century, treated economic crimes with the same severity as treason.

The officials of the National Tax Service shared this view.

The words of Hyang were firmly embedded in their minds.

-A reward or the records office?

In this way, using both incentives and deterrents, Hyang guided the people’s ambition in the most constructive direction possible.

“I read a book of old European fables, and there was a story about a poor widow. Every year during the harvest season, the widow would go with her son to pay rent to the landlord. Each time she saw the landlord’s large house, the widow would tell her son, ‘Don’t just envy or hate. Think about how to become rich like him and work hard.’ Later, the son followed her teachings and became a wealthy man. I believe that I and the court should play the same role as that widow. We must prevent people from resorting to theft or other illegal activities because they are blinded by the desire for wealth, right?”

At Hyang’s words, the ministers bowed their heads in unison and replied.

“We will engrave it in our hearts and follow it!”

As time passed, European professors and monks who heard this story tilted their heads in confusion.

“There was such a fable?”

* * *

Through the combined efforts of the Emperor, the court, and the people’s desire for improvement, the lives of the citizens became increasingly prosperous.

As life improved, people began to spend more money on music, dance, and alcohol.

As spending increased, ‘drinking’ also gradually evolved, much like music and dance, symbolized by ‘Sinjapga’ [a type of Korean folk song], had greatly developed.

Various types of Takju [a traditional Korean rice wine], enjoyed by ordinary people since ancient times, also began to appear.

“It’s because the damned barley pass [a period of food scarcity before the barley harvest] is gone.”

“Is it just the barley pass that’s gone? When was the last time you heard the words ‘famine has struck’?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

As the people noted, the terms ‘barley pass’ and ‘famine’ were no longer commonly heard.

Thanks to the water management project, now fully operational, the grain production of the Empire’s mainland had significantly increased, and grain was steadily arriving from Jiangnan [a region in China], Daewol [likely referring to Vietnam], and Siam [modern-day Thailand].

“We cannot rely solely on Jiangnan in Ming [referring to Ming Dynasty China] forever.”

“That is correct!”

Following Hyang and the court’s decision, large-scale reclamation projects were underway in Bukji [Northern lands] and Shinji [New lands].

In particular, as Hyang had predicted with his ‘Bangjang Sagi Map, the cheat key to the Earth’ [likely a reference to geographical knowledge], the grain production of Shinji was rapidly increasing.

As grain production increased and surpluses grew, the people’s attention turned to ‘brewing.’

“Alcohol can be medicine if taken in moderation, but it can be poison if taken in excess.”

“That’s right. It’s been quite a while since the barley pass disappeared, but we don’t know what the future holds. It would be a big problem if we turned all the remaining grain into alcohol.”

“And if we manage it well, we can secure a decent source of tax revenue.”

Following this discussion, Hyang and the court established a system requiring those who wished to brew alcohol to obtain permission. To protect those who had obtained permission, they strictly cracked down on illegal brewing.

The breweries that received permission soon experienced tremendous prosperity.

The people, with their now fuller pockets, began to enjoy alcohol in earnest.

In particular, as it became commonplace to enjoy a drink while watching a performance at a general entertainment venue, alcohol consumption gradually increased.

Here, the iron horse [referring to trains] began to play a significant role.

It became possible to sell alcohol to other regions via the iron horse. This led to competition among breweries, and alcohols with unique characteristics began to emerge.

However, the alcohol that benefited the most from the iron horse was Soju [a Korean distilled spirit].

Takju and Cheongju [a refined rice wine], being fermented wines, had a critical flaw: they would quickly turn sour if not stored and transported carefully.

Due to these limitations, Takju’s distribution was limited to about 100 li (about 40 km) around the town or village where the brewery was located, and Cheongju could not cross provincial borders.

However, Soju, a distilled spirit, did not have these limitations. Transported by iron roads and ships, Soju spread throughout the Empire, from Bukji to Shinji.

“The winner of the Soju market is the real winner!”

The breweries that recognized Soju’s marketability and future potential dedicated themselves to its development.

It wasn’t just breweries that were involved.

When it came to Soju, the Sadaebu families [aristocratic scholar-officials] couldn’t be left out. Families with well-known Soju brewing methods immediately entered the brewing market.

And, at some point, a battle of pride erupted among the Sadaebu families in the Soju market.

“No! Our family’s historically renowned Soju is being overshadowed by the Soju of a family with such a short history? That cannot be!”

Ironically, it had only been a little over 200 years since Soju had entered the Korean Peninsula. Nevertheless, the Sadaebu families fought, each claiming their Soju had a deeper history.

Hyang, upon receiving the report, burst into laughter.

“It’s ridiculous to think about the whiskey companies that boast about being founded in 1820 or 1860. This side was founded in the 1400s….”

As time passed, an unexpected powerhouse emerged in the Soju market, where a Warring States period [a period of intense competition] had unfolded, centered on the Gayangju (家釀酒) [home-brewed liquor] of the Sadaebu families.

There were nicknames such as ‘Northern Liquor’ and ‘Yodong Liquor,’ but the nickname ‘Dasaekju (茶色酒),’ or ‘Tea-Colored Liquor,’ had become a proper noun.

In this case, too, Hyang’s influence was significant. However, the outcome was not what he had anticipated.

* * *

The origin of Dasaekju, which emerged as a dark horse in the Soju market, was a Soju made by Park Gyu-seop’s comrade.

It was a unique liquor created by combining methods learned from European merchants staying at the trade port with the Soju brewing method learned from his mother, who had been a slave of a fallen Banga [noble family] destroyed by the Giyu Rebellion [a historical political event] and subsequently freed from slavery.

Hyang, curious after receiving the report, immediately issued a secret order to obtain the liquor.

“You can see this as whiskey… Hmm….”

After pondering for a while, Hyang created a detailed order form with drawings and delivered it to Milwi [secret agency].

Hyang’s orders were absolute, so the Milwi agents immediately carried them out.

They began full-scale brewing using only barley in a copper still and even making oak barrels.

“The taste is okay, but the spicy flavor is a bit too strong?”

“The spicy taste is the problem….”

“It is said that ‘it should be aged for at least 3 years,’ so let’s wait 3 years.”

And after 3 years, those who opened it again and tasted it exclaimed simultaneously.

“This is it!”

“How can there be such a scent!”

“Now we can sell it!”

“You said, ‘It’s not just about aging it for a long time.’? That’s what you meant! Let’s pick out some good liquors and keep aging them!”

In this way, the release started with 3-year-old liquor, and as time passed, Soju that had been aged longer was released.

The Soju, which had a light brown color from being aged in charred oak barrels, soon became known as ‘Dasaekju,’ and the nickname became its official name.

And, not long after its market debut, it began to demonstrate its potential as a new powerhouse in the Soju market.

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