Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1019

1019. The Name of Firewood is the Arms Race (12)

At Hyang’s rebuke, starting with Han Myeong-hoi, the ministers prostrated themselves on the floor again, bowing their heads.

“Please kill us!”

“Shall I really kill you?”

“Please forgive us!”

“Shouldn’t you have refrained from doing things that require forgiveness in the first place!”

“We are sorry!”

“If you are sorry, you should have avoided doing things that make you sorry!”

“We are sorry.”

“Tsk, tsk!”

Hyang, clicking his tongue, reproached Hyun and the ministers again.

“Have you forgotten the teachings of ‘Gwalmok Sangdae (刮目相對)’ [a Chinese idiom meaning to view someone with new respect after they’ve shown significant improvement] or ‘Ilsin Wuilsin (日新又日新)’ [another Chinese idiom, meaning to improve oneself daily]? Are there only one or two issues where the interests of the great powers and empires of Europe diverge? Do you think the Empire can easily subdue them forever! Look this time too! If you carefully consider the words uttered by the French envoy, you can see how thoroughly prepared they are! However, it is recorded that the Emperor failed to do so, which is clearly your fault for failing to assist the Emperor! You have not done your job properly!”

At Hyang’s rebuke, the ministers bowed their heads again.

“Do you think begging for forgiveness is all there is to it! Do you think it ends with just begging!”

Hyang’s rebuke continued.

“The Empire’s territory is unmatched in the world, and its military power is also unparalleled! This is a clear fact! But look at the bull! It is unmatched in size and strength, so much so that even if more than ten strong men wrestled with it, they could not defeat it! Yet, even such a bull becomes mere prey when it meets a tiger! Moreover, even that huge bull is led around by a child when its reins are grabbed! Do you want to make this Empire a tiger, or a bull! In my opinion, you are making it a bull!”

“We are sorry!”

“As I have repeatedly said, if you are sorry, don’t create things that make you sorry! Since the topic has come up, I need to say a few things! The reason why something like today happened is because you have been indulging in complacency! This alone is a big deal and a big mistake, but do you know what is an even bigger deal and a bigger mistake? Han Myeong-hoi! Tell me!”

“Yes? That is…”

“Im Soon-wook! Tell me!”

“That’s…”

“Have I ever seen such fellows!”

As Hyang’s voice grew louder, Hyun and the ministers’ heads moved closer and closer to the floor. Above the heads of Hyun and the ministers, who were almost stuck to the floor, Hyang’s roar continued.

“I can even hear in my secluded room that quite a few of those who are currently ministers and vice-ministers have grumbled about their resignations being rejected several times! Do you really not know why the Emperor rejected the resignations, or why he had no choice but to reject them? It is because he does not trust you! It is because those successors learned from you how to handle things so poorly that he cannot trust them! Do you want to say that’s not true? If so, before something like today happened, you should have warned the Emperor, or even yourselves, that such a thing was highly likely to happen! But did it happen? Tell me! Han Myeong-hoi!”

“N-No, it didn’t!”

“See! You only know how to grumble about having too much work, and you are neglecting the truly important things by just doing the work you are assigned to do! How can we trust such people and entrust them with the future of the Empire!”

“Please forgive us!”

“In the myths of Rome in Europe, there is a monster called Argus. Argus had 100 eyes, and all of those eyes never closed at the same time. Those who assist the Emperor in running the Empire must be like this Argus! There must be no stopping or laziness in looking after the lives of the people and observing the movements of foreign powers! Military power comes next! But what kind of disgrace is this now? Haven’t you neglected to look around because you only trust in military power, and that’s why something like today happened! If you only rely on military power, everyone will become your enemy, and if you only trust in the Empire’s wealth, you will only become everyone’s prey, and if you only trust in diplomacy, you will only be spouting empty words! Do you already want to lead the Empire, which still has a long way to go, to ruin!”

“No!”

“Absolutely not!”

“Then why did you put the Emperor in such a difficult position! Are you tired because you have a lot of work? Do you want to resign and rest comfortably? Then just give it all up! Giving up is easy! Just hand over Shinji and Bukji [likely referring to specific regions or territories] to others, take only the palm-sized mainland, close the doors, close your eyes, block your ears, and live like that! Do you really want to live like that! Do you want to make the Empire, which the Won Emperor [referring to a past emperor] and the officials and people of that era created with blood and sweat, like that!”

Hyang, who was shouting, slumped down on a chair next to him, and Hyun and the ministers, greatly alarmed by the sight, jumped up.

“Grandfather!”

“Bring the royal physician!”

“It’s okay! It’s just because I raised my voice for a while.”

“However…”

“Is my life the problem now! The country is a mess!”

As Hyang shouted again, Hyun and the ministers had no choice but to prostrate themselves again.

“We are sorry!”

“Please forgive us!”

“The Emperor will decide the punishment! Seek forgiveness from the Emperor!”

Hyang, drawing a firm line, turned to Hyun.

“I hope the Emperor will never forget what happened today. You must never forget that they are desperately chasing after us. Military force is not everything, and if you are even slightly careless, the Empire’s face will be damaged and its interests will be lost by just three inches of tongue.”

“I will engrave it in my heart.”

At Hyun’s sincere answer, Hyang sighed lightly and concluded.

“I hope the Emperor will never take this matter lightly. The ministers are the same. Complacency is one of the fastest ways to ruin a country. In some ways, the complacency of officials is as serious a crime as treason or selling out the country. Do not forget this.”

“I will engrave it in my heart!”

“I want to rest.”

“Yes.”

At Hyang’s order to leave, Hyun and the ministers bowed politely and withdrew. Hyun, who answered the greeting of the royal physician who had been called and was entering the room, took a seat next to Hyang.

“Why is the Emperor staying?”

“I will stay until the royal physician has taken your pulse.”

“The Emperor has a mountain of work to do, there is no need for that.”

“However…”

“Tsk!”

As soon as Hyang clicked his tongue, the royal physician looked at Hyun with a troubled expression. In the end, Hyun had no choice but to get up and go outside. A little later, the royal physician, who had taken Hyang’s pulse, told Hyang the results.

“Your Qi [vital energy] and blood were briefly agitated, but there is nothing seriously wrong. However, considering your age, you must be especially careful.”

“I understand. By the way, my throat feels a bit scratchy after shouting for the first time in a while.”

“I will prepare and offer you some herbal medicine.”

“Please do.”

* * *

As Hyun, who had been chased out by Hyang, came outside, the ministers who had been waiting there all bowed their heads.

“Your Majesty, we, your ministers, are foolish and such a thing has happened today. Please, forgive our sins.”

“Please forgive us!”

Hyun, who was about to say something in response to the ministers’ apology, let out a long sigh.

“Hoo~. Let’s do well. Reaaally~.”

“We are sorry.”

“Do not even think about submitting your resignations for the time being.”

“……”

Hyun could only click his tongue at the sight of the ministers bowing their heads.

“Tsk!”

-It is said that the Emperor and the ministers were severely scolded by the Supreme Emperor!

-It is said that the Supreme Emperor was furious!

Words without feet travel a thousand miles in the marketplace, but they travel several times faster within the palace. Eventually, before long, the events that took place in Suganggung Palace reached the ears of the officials on Yukjo Street. The faces of the officials who heard the rumors did not look good.

“This is going to be very difficult for a while, isn’t it?”

“We’ll just have a hard time, but those guys in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs…”

As the officials said, the faces of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials who heard the rumors turned pale, almost bluish.

“We’re dead now.”

“Should we just resign?”

“Considering Minister Shin’s temperament…”

The reason why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials were in such despair was that the main office in charge of this matter was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs happened to be Shin Suk-ju. Shin Suk-ju had been constantly traveling abroad since the early days of the Empire, and had to go to Italy as soon as he returned to Seoul. Thanks to this, Shin Suk-ju had a particularly strong desire for promotion compared to other ministers.

“I will definitely sit in the Prime Minister’s seat before I die!”

Shin Suk-ju’s abilities were as good as his ambition, so the general opinion was that his chances were high. However, his age was a problem. Shin Suk-ju was well aware of this, so he showed particular interest in health-maintaining activities and nutritious foods.

Such was Shin Suk-ju, and as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this incident was a major blow. Of course, he could not just let it pass, and it did not deviate from expectations. Shin Suk-ju, who returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, shouted as soon as he passed the entrance.

“All officials above the Deputy Director-General, come to my office! I’ll give you a gak [a scolding]!”

Thump!

No sooner had Shin Suk-ju finished speaking than officials jumped out from all directions and gathered in Shin Suk-ju’s office.

“Close the door!”

“Yes!”

A little later, Shin Suk-ju’s shouts burst out from behind the tightly closed office door.

“You bastards! You can’t do your job properly! Do I have to hear such things at this age!”

“We are sorry.”

At the same time, similar situations were happening in other government offices, but the content was slightly different.

“You bastards! You can’t do your job properly! Because of you, I can’t resign in peace! You bastards! I want to resign comfortably and live on my pension!”

* * *

Meanwhile, Hyang, who was left alone, pondered over the commotion of the day and wore a strange expression.

“Could it be that this… is because of what I’ve been doing?”

The reason why Hyang showed such doubts was that the diplomatic skills of France, symbolized by Louis, were more sophisticated than expected.

“It’s changed too much from when I saw it in Italy. Back then, it was closer to stubbornly insisting on clumsy logic, but this time it’s become incredibly sharp.”

Hyang, who was analyzing France’s development, which was worthy of the word ‘Gwalmok Sangdae,’ nodded.

“Is this also a challenge and response… Anyway, it’s going to become even more difficult in the future. Then the Empire’s attitude is…”

As Hyang pondered over the diplomatic stance that the Empire would take in the future, memories of his past life came to his mind.

It was what a professor who taught Hyang’s university class had said.

-If you look at the international community these days, the differences between China and other Western countries are very clear. To put it bluntly, China is closer to a ‘backward country with only strength.’ That’s why it’s a problem. It only believes in its own strength and never makes concessions. And it has no face. That’s the difference between Russia and China. Like China, it never makes concessions because it only believes in its own strength, but at least it tries to save face. Look at the ‘special military operation’ against Ukraine.

And the other Western countries are similar to China and Russia when it comes to countries that are far behind them. However, if it is a country that is similar to or slightly behind them, the treatment is different. How is it different? It becomes disgustingly petty. Instead, it makes concessions where it can, and tries to keep the promises it has made as much as possible. Even if it doesn’t work, it does it through the back door.

In some ways, it looks so similar that you can see it as ‘spot the difference,’ but there is a biggest difference. In the case of China and Russia, they only make enemies, while in the case of the West, they make both enemies and friends.